King's Magix Quest: The Enchanted Ones
by Whiteling
Summary: REWRITTEN! W.I.T.C.H. aren't the only magical heroines of the realm. In Japan, eight diverse girls are chosen to defend the new worlds from supernatural evils much more insidious than Phobos and Nerissa. See how it all began.
1. Prologue

AN: Alright, you wanted the background story for My and Energy witch's OCs well here it is. How they first notice their powers and all. I'll writing on how they meet the rest of their allies: The KND, the Xiaolin warriors, The Foster's gang, The cul-de-sac kids, the Camp kidney bean scouts, The J-team, The Digi-destined etc. Of course, those will be in separate fics. Review to tell me who you wanna see first!

P.S. This fanfic was written for entertainment and for those who actually wanted the background story of my OC's. If you don't like my story, don't flame me, just say: "I really didn't like this story" _without _being a jerk or insulting the writer. Even if the story sucks eggs (I know I can't please everybody) the writers have worked hard on them. So RESPECT!

**DayDreamer9:** One wish granted. But the few little things I didn't change was 'cuz I couldn't come up with something even better. The next chapter will be an entirely different story however.

**Alexis kiah**: I'll update as soon as I get the next chapter.

_--------------------------------------_

_Prologue_

In the very beginning, spirits and creatures coexisted in the same world, one vast realm. But eventually, evil entered the world.

Years passed, and the world was split into those who wished for peace and those who to gain power over everything.

Such was this, that the new worlds were created, so that hundreds living beings would live separated from the world of man.

To guard and protect what was left of magical good in the universe, the mighty stronghold of Candracar was created, raised in the very center of Infinity. There, a congregation of powerful spirits and creatures keep vigilance; chief among them was the Oracle. His wisdom is much needed; at times, Candracar is all that keeps evil from entering where it should have no place.

And to ensure that no evil can crossover to neither Earth or the new worlds, the Veil was created. A precious barrier between good and evil, that was to be guarded by a handful of good beings that controlled the forces of nature.

But to make doubly sure that no evil from the Earth nor any tempted being from beyond the Veil would venture out, Guardians would be chosen to keep the Universe safe. Five for Kandrakar and Eight for the legendary kingdom of Etherea.

In the process of creating the Veil during this age, there were crowds of daughters of Eve that were both righteous and fair, for they cultivated the Earth and nurtured the harmony of nature.

So that one day, the Great Creator approached these women as a shining ray of sunlight.

"My daughters," said the great Creator, "I wish to give you a blessing."

The women said "Our deepest apologies, but we must prepare our homes and protect our children and friends, for our foes still roam the land. If you still wish to bless us, you'll have to bless…our hands and our backs."

"Very well, it shall be done."

And the women received new abilities, in the process, half of them sprouted wings while the other half felt one with the Earth.

And eight out of those daughters of Eve were chosen as guardians for the realm of Etherea - - blessed with the powers of Earth, the Stars, Fire, Water, Thunder, Air, the Heavens and the Heart. Unlike the Guardians of Candracar, they are chosen to defend not only the Earth, but many, many new worlds from supernatural cataclysms.

And the Great Creator called after them all, "Beware my daughters, for all the evils of the world, and many a man, shall be your enemy, my daughters, and if they are to catch you, they will humiliate, ravage or kill you . . . but first they must trap you: Flyer, healer, seeker, child of Nature.

Be brave, resourceful, loving, and just as I had promised El-ahrairah, your people and your friends will never be destroyed."

And so, every few years, the powers of the elements would choose a worthy owner to reside in for all eternity, therefore, that living being would become a Guardian of the Veil. And so as it is, their eternal gifts would not only be those of their respective element but the respect and friendship of the animal kingdom.

For thousands of years, each coming generation of Guardians would grow stronger and stronger, culminating in the arrival of eight girls -- the strongest the Universe had ever seen; the eight girls would form the Ethereal Guardians, the most powerful magical force ever.

And it began, approximately on Halloween 1995. . .


	2. It begins

**AN: OK folks I've decided to do this one right and give all the characters here at least some more issues other than the main thing.****P.S. This fanfic was written for entertainment and for those who actually wanted the background story of my OC's. If you don't like my story, don't flame me, just say: "I really didn't like this story" **_**without **_**being a jerk or insulting the writer. Even if the story sucks eggs (I know I can't please everybody) the writers have worked hard on them. So RESPECT!**

**DayDreamer9:**** One wish granted. But the few little things I didn't change was 'cuz I couldn't come up with something even better. The next chapter will be an entirely different story however.**

**Alexis kiah****: I'll update as soon as I get the next chapter.**

**And another put a review that actually says something ABOUT the fic not ridiculous blabber.**

"There is a woman at the beginning of all great things."

**-****Alphonse de Lamartine**

* * *

The sun was shining on a new day, the clouds have disappeared.

Well not for everyone.

About two blocks away, a long white limo approached. Seated inside were four women: One adult, two twelve-year olds and a fourth grader.

The first girl was a tomboy with short blood-red hair and large blue eyes. Next to her was another girl, this one was pale had almond shaped eyes that were clear blue and her long blonde hair was drawn back in a tight braid that fell down her back.

While the youngest had wavy light blonde hair, rosy cheeks and bright green eyes.

Their mother was a handsome middle-aged woman with shoulder-length coppery hair and the same bright sapphire blue eyes as her redheaded child.

"Hurry up or they won't let you in," Dr Pantheon said to the older girls, "And I've still got to get your younger sister to school!"

The girls pushed open the door and climbed out.

"Beth, aren't you going to say good-bye?" their mother asked.

But the redhead girl was already running to her school, "No time, mom, gotta run!"

"Kylie," The woman said to the older blonde girl, "Don't I get a good-bye kiss?"

"We'll see you tonight." Kylie sighed gloomily before following her sister.

She's completely withdrawn from her new classmates, just eyeing them warily as if almost expecting them to hit her.

Over the year, when being bullied Beth has become more prone to violent reactions while Kylie only bottles up her emotions and tries to leave at the first sign of emotional torture. The redhead girl's short temper kept her from befriending other people at her old school after she fought back against her ex-friends that were backbiting her.

They only hoped that this one school year that things would be different.

* * *

At the same time, just a few minutes away, a dark blue car was driving down the street.

In the front seat, a tall girl with scruffy dark hair, hazel-brown eyes and a wild beaded braid hung down the left side of her face. Her adoptive mother, Ms. Roberta Schaffer, a round lovable woman with brown hair, was talking to her as she parked up at the entrance to the school Crosswinds junior high.

"Theo, I know you're just starting to find yourself. But so far last year, you only managed to beat up four preppy seniors, gave a football jock a black eye and got into a fist fight with the tenth graders." she said, beginning to smooth Theo's black hair, much to the girl's chagrin. "After all, until you're eighteen, you got to go to school and get an education for the right college."

Theo's black hair just stands up wildly like a lion's mane. "I know, Mom, but I just wish that for once we can live some place where we wouldn't have to see any creep strut around like he owned the school or put other people down for being what they are."

Mrs. Schaffer smiled warmly, "There must be a way you can fit in here. Some way you won't get into any more trouble."

She looked over at the building, "Well, here we are. Theo, just listen to your teachers, do your homework and you'll do fine. And honey..." Mrs. Schaffer added warmly, "Try to make this one work."

* * *

"It's another beautiful day in Odaiba, which just figures cause it's a school day!"

"But I guess it could be worse I could be the new kid."

In another part of the school, a pair of fraternal twins were just arriving, both had the same eye shape and bangs but were of a different color.

The boy Tony's hair was light brown and he had light blue eyes.

His twin sister Sara had long strawberry pink hair, Persian green eyes and a friendly disposition, not to mention a hard-working student.

"Tony, shouldn't we be doing the errands for Uncle Bernie after school?"

"No can do. Band try-outs."

"Band try-outs?" Sara blinked in surprise, "You're gonna join the band?"

"Good way to meet some girls."

Sara gives him a sharp glare.

"Sis, I mean girly girls, y'know?" Tony said to her.

He sighs, shrugs and walks off

"Right. Girly girls." she says a little sarcastically, leaning her back against some lockers.

"Ex–CUUSE me!" An olive skinned girl with curly brown hair said rudely to Sara. She and her friend were glaring at her.

Taken aback, Sara moved away abruptly. "Sorry."

"Who's she?"

"Who cares? She looks like total snore!"

Sara heard their cruel words and solemnly walked away, hoping to find her classroom.

* * *

In the parking lot, two parents were accompanying their daughter and her friend to school.

Their daughter had bouncy citrine hair and bright brown eyes, while her friend had cerulean eyes, long mauve bangs and hair.

"Bye mom and dad!"

"Good-bye Mr. and Mrs. Kasuga!"

The two girls meant to hurry to the school.

"Oh, oh, oh!" The bouncy haired girl's father suddenly rushed over, "Girls, let me look at you two before you go."

The bouncy haired girl sighed and stopped in her footsteps, her friend followed suit quietly.

"Now Yui, you and Haruna both have Computer Tech, drama and choir." The dad said to his daughter.

"Dad," Yui said to him, "You forgot one little detail?"

"I did? What?"

"School!" The two girls cried.

"Whoop, not so fast!" Yui's mom stopped them.

Now the dad is able to take a photo of them both with the mother. He's weeping dramatically as he does so. "My baby girl is growing up so fast!"

After the flash, both parents kiss their daughter and friend good bye, unfortunately this was seen by some nasty tempered girls who laughed boisterously at them.

Yui and Haruna both grin sheepishly and wave.

Suddenly the bony one with tan hair, Judith stops.

"Oh no, don't tell that little nobody's here too."

"Who?"

The mean girl turned her friends head to look at a shy Kylie, looking left and right, trying to find her classroom.

"That girl went with me back in kindergarten and I thought I'd seen the last of her," griped Judith, "All she ever does is hide behind her little books, she's such a bookworm."

"Well, let's hope she doesn't say hi, she looks like one of those emo loners."

"Not only that come check this out."

They strutted over to the shy blonde, who winced slightly.

"Don't tell me you're here for junior high too."

Kylie dropped her gaze, "Yes, have you a problem with that?"

"Yeah, I do, blondie," Judith sneered, "You being in the same school as me and having this-" she suddenly pulled down the top part of Kylie's left sleeve to reveal her shoulder. On it was a small birthmark/scar shaped like a spark.

"Eww, gross what is THAT? "

"Plus you know what I heard?"

"What?"

"That she's not really a Pantheon, she's adopted!"

Kylie visibly whimpered and pulled away, picking up her backpack and running off.

The mean girls stayed behind laughing viciously at the girl's reaction until a teacher marched up to them.

"Shouldn't you be getting to class?" said the teacher harshly, "The morning bell's going to ring any minute."

* * *

Being a teenager is a tough stage for a young girl. They're all struggling to find their place. One of the things kids all have in common, even the popular ones, is that no one wants their parents to know where they are in the school social order, much less the other activities.

At 2:30 the bell rang. The first day of school had finally concluded, all the students ran out but one.

This one was a semi-Goth girl with violet eyes wearing a black turtleneck and pants. Her short dark hair hung limply at the sides of her face, one lock of hair was wrapped in a dark blue ribbon. By name Zaira Baker, Judge Baker's only daughter.

And she was not happy. Ever since her mother died in a crash, her life had been a jumbled, mixed up mess.

Sure, her father does his best but a girl just needs her mother.

Like just yesterday afternoon, he claimed to have gotten her some new shows. And what did he bring her?

_Loafers._ Brown dull, plain loafers. She'd just wanted simple black shoes.

"You already have enough of black, blue, grey and purple clothing." Her father had said crisply, "It's time you use other colors for a change."

"So now you're telling me how to dress?" Zaira had snapped back

Zaira sighed exasperatedly at the memory, her dad just doesn't get her.

Meanwhile, Kylie has just stepped out of class and noticed Sara looking around for Tony. She remembered seeing her answer a question right in Science class and seemed friendly enough.

'That girl looks nice I wonder if we can be friends.' thought Kylie

She carefully approached Sara.

"Uhm, hello?"

Sara turned curiously at first then smiled warmly, "Oh hi, you're the new girl aren't you? Kylie right?"

"Y-yes, my family moved here from Athens just a week ago."

As the two girls began talking they both felt that maybe this time they'd found a true friend. Their content was interrupted by some painfully familiar voices.

"Oh, Kylie over here!"

"Hey Goodman, love the overalls. NOT!"

"I can't believe you have that outfit."

"Gross!"

Of course it just had to be Judith Wheaton. She and Deborah, with her bleached hair and haughtiness, were two petty peas in a pod.

"Nobody wants you here," Deborah said to them, "You're so plain and boring you spoil springtime for everyone!"

"So you think that by making them feel miserable about themselves it'll make the day better?" A girl's voice said scornfully behind them.

The mean girls turned to see Zaira flip a lock of dark hair behind her shoulder and returned Judith's glare with a Goth withering look. She started to pull up the sleeves of her black turtleneck and flexed her knuckles. She might look pallid and scrawny, but that didn't mean she didn't get enough exercise and right now she was planning to see whether her kendo lessons would pay off.

"You want to go home with your ribs in one piece, or five or six?" She threatened, "If you don't, then back off, we don't want a fight."

Lonnie gave Zaira a sour look. "Fine," then she turned to the new girls, "You're new here so we can't blame you for not knowing. But you watch your backs _or else_."

Zaira pretended to look over their shoulders then suddenly waved and shouted as loud as she could, "See ya Miss Iknow!"

The snobs jumped quickly retreated without another word, not wanting to get caught red-handed.

Zaira gave a stiff nod then said to Kylie and Sara. "First rule of the school jungle: Fight back or they walk over you. But, chill not everyone's like that. Most of them are just knuckleheads but harmless really."

"Sara Goodman and Kylie Pantheon, is it?" she said, extending her hand. "Name's Zaira."

"Nice to meet you," Sara said with a happy grin.

"Just wanted to say welcome to Odaiba to you both and it'd be cool if you can make it to the Halloween festival tonight," Zaira explained gently, "I know Tokyo doesn't exactly celebrate the holiday faithfully like the U.S. but trust me, the party's worth a try!"

"Thank you." Kylie said tentatively.

"Don't forget to wear a costume either," Zaira added with a wink, "Scary or Pretty or mysterious, whatever you want. Just be yourselves, be unique."

* * *

Beth felt her shoulders sag as she and Theo walked around the corner watching after school kids put up the Halloween dance decorations.

"So what're gonna wear if we do go?"

"Think I'll pick something _exotique_. Maybe a bellydancer, little something to remind me of where I've been."

"Alright," Beth nodded, "See you later then."

"Cool." said Theo, gently patting her friend on the back, "See ya Beth."

Wanting to wash off the rest of the mess left on her shirt courtesy of the local snobs, Beth stormed into the bathroom, her temper rising as she remembered how it happened.

She and Theo had recognized each other just as they'd entered their first class then at lunchtime, they'd been chatting about the old days, eating their bento lunch, when all of a sudden Lonette Stevens passed by and deliberately spilled sauce and food down her font and Theo's!

Roughly she dabbed at her shirt trying to get the stains off, glancing every now and then at the mirror to see if it works.

Nothing.

All she saw was a reflection of herself, her backpack and –

Beth nearly lost her footing. She gaped into the mirror, then she rubbed her eyes confusedly, but there was no mistake. Her reflection had changed completely.

The beautiful girl staring straight back was more. . . womanly. She had the same short, blood-red hair but it was straighter and rather stylishly sleek. And the face – that was Beth's too if you added perfect cheekbones, perfect rosy lips, and put a acknowledging mysterious tone to the large blue eyes.

She wore a turquoise undershirt, over it was fuchsia shirt with long, perfectly cut up sleeves revealing the underside of her forearms. The tied up belt was also turquoise like the pants she wore. And the strong, slender legs were wrapped in striped stockings and purple martial arts boots.

The outfit reminded her of her old gi back from the old days, making her nostalgic.

And upon Beth's back sticking out of her shoulder blades were. . . wings.

Flowery, fairy like wings - thin, black stalks dotted with iridescent pinkish/purple/blue petals, which swayed softly to a non-existent breeze.

Beth just stared in awe for a very brief moment then decided to try something. Better check just to make sure, she thought.

She raised her right hand and waved it frantically in front of the reflection. The winged girl in the glass window followed her exact movements just like an average reflection

Realizing that people'll freak out worse than she did if they saw this, Beth quickly tore her eyes away from the mirror and rushed out.

Little did she know that tonight, would mark the beginning of her destiny.

* * *

**AN: Okay that was chapter 1 revised, rewritten and accounted for!**** Now don't question me about the names, they gave some of the SM characters English names too so why can't I? Here's a description of the girls so far.**

**-Yui Kasuga: Vivacious girl, shoulder length wheat-colored curls and brown eyes.**

**-Theo Schaffer: African-Hindi mix with long scruffy black hair and hazel-brown eyes.**

**-Sara Goodman: A perky, smart girl with long pink hair and turquoise eyes.**

**-Zaira Baker: Loyal semi-Goth with short black hair and stern violet eyes.**

**-Kylie Pantheon: Pale book loving blonde with long, straight hair and almond azure eyes.**

**-Dana Pantheon: Youngest of the Pantheon children; a little girl with flaxen hair and green eyes.**


	3. The witching hour

**Alexis Kiah: **Thank you for caring, I'll update as soon as inspiration hits for the next chapters. I'll make more adventures for the girls too. Also if you enjoyed the story of the Enchanted ones, you'll love what happens to them the year after they become Guardians: check out Operation W.I.T.C.H. in my profile and see what happens when Zaira discover another portal that leads to a mysterious new world.

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Haruna looks at Beth worriedly. They were standing with Tony, Sara, Theo and Yui outside the gym door, and Beth still looked a little dizzy. But at least they were away from the throbbing noise of the party and the petty in-crowds; and there were big torches around to light the school lawn, because you never know what's out there besides criminals.

Speaking of spooks, the giant Papier Mache jack-o-lantern the students made for the occasion was making her a tad bit nervous – she didn't think they'd pick a really creepy face for it.

The friend's thoughts were interrupted as a crowd of people came tumbling out onto the lawn.

"What's going on?" asked Beth

"The grand finale," Kurt said coming over to them, "The student called forth gets the honor of setting fire to the jack-o-lantern so the costume contest can begin."

"Which should be Zaira and Kylie's cue, by the way, where were you?" Theo then demanded Kurt.

"Ahh, I lost sight of you guys back in the gym. Then a few of those jocks pushed me in the desserts table saying they got bigger fish to fry," Kurt said, brushing bits of sugar off his arm.

The gang watched as the teachers marched over to the jack-o-lantern. High above Ms. Blythe's head, she held an old fashioned torch. A plume of angry smoke billowed off the flame, clouding up the clear night air.

The principal, Mr. Dempsey, walked up to the microphone.

Before we begin the contest, let's light our way through the dark with the jack-o-lantern.

"Sweet!" said Tony. "Wonder who's up – YIPE!"

Tony had let out a small yelp as the podium curtains behind the teachers swished violently, accompanied by a by a series of loud growls and screaming.

The curtain fell, revealing the students participating. Among them were Kylie and Zaira, and they were staring up in horror at a huge hairy creature bearing it's teeth. And what a costume: the yellow eyes, the bestial bluish-grey face and the long talon-like hands; they look so convincing.

For some weird reason, however, this big lug didn't seem to care about the contest or the fact that dozens of people were staring at him.

Mr. Dempsey stared at the hulking guy; then his face went from shock to cool dismissal.

"You're Emmet, from homeroom 412, aren't you?" He said sternly, "I recognize you, and I don't find you in the least amusing."

Another boy stumbled out of the partygoers, dressed as King Kong.

"Uhm… I'm Emmet s-sir," he said to Mr. Dempsey.

"Huh?" The teacher said in surprise. He turned-slowly- to the hairy beast. And this time he looked pretty shaken.

"B-b-but then, who are you?" He demanded of the stranger.

But the creature only roared and swatted the torch out of Ms. Blythe's hand, sending it flying onto the Papier-Mache pumpkin.

Immediately, it ignited, but it was also knocked from where it had been placed and rolled towards a few fireworks.

_KA-POW!_

The jack-o-lantern exploded, sending rockets into the black sky and shooting plumes of fire towards the kids.

"Aaaaigh!"

"Watch out!"

"Everything's on fire!"

"Run for you lives!"

Like a terrified herd of frightened animals, the revelers stampeded, trying to get away. Some ran back to the gym while others tore screaming down the street.

_SSSSSsssss –FWOOOM!_

Another firecracker zipped through the air, trailing sparks. And the flames spread out upont the grass dangerously.

"We've got to get outta of here!" Zaira yelled, motioning with her head for Tony, Kurt, Theo and Haruna to follow her.

Yui ran and cowered against the gym's outside wall. That was when Theo noticed the monster from earlier going after Beth!

_FWOOOOM -pop-pop-pop-pop!_With a frightening roar, a flurry of rockets shot forth.

And before Theo could react, one of them headed towards Beth's attacker! The creature freaked and fled into the night.

"Eeeeeeeek!" Yui was clutching at the gym wall, screaming in terror as a rocket headed straight for her.

"Yui, heads up!" Theo yelled. Then, time seemed to slow down, for Theo. Her mind was screaming for the rocket to stop. . . and it did.

_Fzzzkzzz._It hovered in midair literally inches away from Yui's nose. Then it veered straight up, skimming past Yui and hurtling into the night sky.

Sara and Kylie, nevertheless were still in danger. They were standing a few feet away, bathed in the orange glow of the background. Another rocket a much larger one, headed straight for them!

"Aaaaugh!" The two girls screamed and they clung to each other in fright. When Kylie turned her head, she unknowingly waved a hand in front of the rocket, as though hoping to fan it away. And the second she had flung her delicate hand forward, the rocket exploded two feet away from them. But not with orange sparks, no. It actually exploded with a burst of sparkling blue light.

When they realized the rocket was gone, the two girls scrambled away just as one of the teachers dashed in and began to fight off the flames with a fire extinguisher.

In the far corners of the street, the other teachers were making a head count just as the police and some firefighters arrived. While this was happening, Beth and the others were reunited.

"Whew! I thought we were done for." said Tony

"Likewise," agreed Yui.

Beth, however, was listening in on the conversation between the principal and two detectives. She didn't mean to, but something felt very suspicious.

"You must understand that your students are just a few of the first people to survive an attack." said the first detective, Stables.

Mr. Dempsey blinked, "Excuse me?

"Unlike that poor guy we found two nights ago with his heart ripped out of his chest." Added the second detective, Banner.

"Just like the killings up in Shibaura and Hikarigaoka." continued the Detective Stables.

"My biggest guess it's not just young adults, but smaller children too," Banner said sternly, Kids have been disappearing for nights now. . ."

Beth paled. If what these guys say are true, then Dana could be in grave danger. . .

-----------------------

In another section of Odaiba, Dana had been away to a Halloween festivity of her own, but now she and her friends were on their way home.

The street grew eerily darker as they moved further on, and the buildings now seemed to close in behind them. The silence was so long, that even hearing the wind howl and an owl hoot was alarming.

Dana felt a chill run down her spine- something didn't feel right.

"Do you have the feeling we're being . . . watched?" asked Amber, one of Dana's friends.

They whirled around and Dana noticed something.

"Th-that bush wasn't there before," stammered Dana, as they exchanged anxious looks.

There is a growling sound behind them.

"What if. . ." mused another girl, "Someone or . . . something is following us?!" Her last words ended in a frightened scream.

Frantic, they spun around to see terrifying red eyes staring at them from the bushes. And it was moving closer!

"MONSTER!" they screamed. And with that, they ran as fast as their slim legs could carry them.

When the wind blew, Dana could've sworn she heard it whisper 'You're being followed!'

'Help us!' Dana wished frantically.

No sooner did she think this, the wind began to blow hard.

The three little girls each took a different turn to get to their homes. Dana finally reached the gates of Kibou Manor and scrambled inside.

Once the front door was slammed shut, she let out a sigh of relief. Then a hand touched her shoulder and she jumped.

Dana turned to find herself face to face with her mother. "Sweetie, are you alright?"

"There was- there was something scary out there following us!" she began to cry.

Dr. Jenna Pantheon held her youngest child close.

"You had a terrible fright, honey," she said gently. "It's all right; You're safe now."

But was she?

Something unnatural had been hunting not only the Pantheon daughters, but Sara, Yui, Theo, Haruna, and Zaira as well. But who? And most importantly. . .why?

---------------

And there you have it. The girls have their first supernatural Halloween without knowing it. The next chapter will be up and running when my muse comes back.


	4. Enchanted

Author's note

Okay, here it is, the moment of truth for the Ethereal guardians.

Twenty-four hours had passed since the Halloween party, yet many questions ran through the minds of everyone who had been present. Especially eight schoolgirls out in Shibaura park.

"What d'you suppose is happening?" Dana was saying anxiously. She was still nervous after her terrifying escapade the previous night.

"Hey look there's always a logical explanation and truth!" Zaira said sternly, "And mind you, if this is someone's sick idea of a cruel joke. . . I'm bailing!"

That was Zaira. Suspicious and wary.

"Mysterious dreams, clothes that change color, strange events," Haruna said calmly, her fingers drumming on the park bench. "What do you call these?"

"Uh. . .side effects?" Theo interjected doubtfully.

"Who knows?" Beth shrugged, "Maybe we've got a little mystery on our hands."

At that moment, an old beggar man approached asking spare change for food. Out of compassion, each one of the girls pulled out a little bit of something from the food they had packed earlier that day.

For their kindness, most of their questions would not go unanswered. That was when suddenly everything freezes all around them. It was as if someone had pushed the pause button on a remote control.

"Uhm, Beth . . . Kylie. . ." Dana said looking around her with a hint of uncertainty, "W-why is everything frozen?"

The girls all started to look around themselves in confusion.

Zaira looked out at the street; all the passersby's and cars had stopped in the middle of what they were doing. "Weird . . ." she said coldly.

"They ARE frozen!" cried Sara waving a hand in a frozen little hummingbird's face.

When they turned back to look at the beggar, they saw that the rags had melted away to reveal an gentle-faced, elderly man dressed in a long, flowing lilac cloak.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm afraid there are a few questions of yours that must be answered." He said, as he reached into his robe and pulled out a large, leather-bound crimson book and a necklace with a glass charm.

It was a clear glass orb held in a silvery clasp; to the left holding it from top to bottom was a regal lion with an open mouth and to the right, was a rose.

"Hey, that's the necklace from our dreams!" Dana gasped. "Where'd you get it?"

"What matters is that you will be keeping it, and the book from now on," said the mage. "This is the heart of Etherea, the twin of Candracar's Heart of Etherea. And the eight of are the new Ethereal guardians."

The mage's grey eyes swept over the eight young girls one by one.

"Guardians?" Kylie inquired curiously, "What kind?"

The mage smiled a mysterious smile. "Open, your eyes, your mind, and heed that what I tell you is true. It is a tale- a tale as old as time – In the very beginning, spirits and creatures coexisted in the same world, one vast realm. Then, as it sometimes happens. . . " he paused pensively before he continued, "The balance shifted. Spirits and creatures learned evil, and all these uncharted realms were divided. Such was this, that the new worlds were created, so that hundreds living beings and their worlds would live separated from the world of man. It was then that the universe gave life to two temples: that of Candracar, in the very heart of Infinity, and the kingdom of Etherea, which floats in the clouds high above us all. And to ensure that no evil can crossover to neither Earth or the new worlds, the Veil was created. A precious barrier between good and evil, that was to be guarded by a handful of good beings that controlled the forces of nature. Now, unlike the Guardians of Candracar, you're chosen to defend not only the Earth, but many, many new worlds from supernatural cataclysms."

Theo's jaw dropped, Dana's fingertips were on her lips in amazement while Zaira just looked on.

Then the mage stepped over to Sara, who gasped upon seeing the glass orb glow blue. "Sara," he said, "You will have power over water – broken and uncontainable. "

Next the mage turned to Zaira, who looked mutinous.

"To you, firm Zaira, the power of thunder," he pronounced before turning towards Theo, and saying, "To you adventure loving Theo- the difficult gift of fire. And to you, Haruna, the power of Mother Earth, as so it will be for you, Yui, with the gift of the stars." Then he turned solemnly to Kylie, "Your gift Kylie, is one that works in mysterious ways. . . you will receive the magic that emanates from the kingdom of those from high above."

Kylie blinked, scarcely believing her own ears. Finally the mage stepped over to Dana and placed his warm, rough hand on top her head.

"And you, little Dana," he said gently "You will be as free and light as air."

"And me, s-sir?" Beth questioned tentatively.

"Hold out your hand, Beth," the wise man said. Puzzled, Beth did as she was told. As the Heart of Etherea was slowly lowered into her right hand, the mage handed the crimson book to Kylie. Looking closely, she could see that it had a gold lion engraving on the front cover. "This, new guardians, is the Book of Secrets, it contains the recorded history and magical wisdom of all the previous guardians before you, fairy or good witch."

That was when the orb (Heart of Etherea) began to shine a hot pink color. Beth just looked on in amazement, face rapturous. Her blood-red hair floated around her head as gracefully as it would underwater.

There was just no other word for it. . . magic. Pure, indescribable, breath-taking magic. And as soon as it began it stopped; the Heart of Etherea became an inanimate necklace once more.

Beth blinked her large, blue eyes twice. "Wow. . . did that come out of me?"

But she got no answer as the mage had vanished along with the glow. And everything began at normal pace.

-----------------

No one said a word until they formed a small tight circle on the sidewalk.

"I just can't believe what happened," Haruna said wanly.

"Nothing happened!" Zaira yelled, she stood up, "That was just another lousy con artist story! "

"You're not scared are you?" Theo asked sharply. Theo was always a bit of a thrill seeker; she loved a good challenge and feels disappointed when no one decides to take a good risk once in a while.

Zaira stubbornly turned her back on them, "I don't believe in daydreams or crummy fairy tales coming true-"

But Kylie suddenly stopped her with an enraged gesture.

"Maybe YOU don't!" she said in a fierce voice that took everyone aback. "But I do believe that we have the strength to make our dreams come true. The world is full of genuine magic, many of us just don't see it. . . or not want to."

Although she seemed angry, her silvery voice was strung out and on the verge of tears.

Zaira's face quickly went from irritated to somber. As if understanding that she'd just said something cruel and was now feeling ashamed about it.

"I –I need to be alone," she sighed.

After Zaira left, Yui put a comforting hand on Kylie's shoulder.

"Zaira never meant to hurt your feelings Kylie," she said reassuringly, "She's only frustrated that she didn't figure it out in the first place."

But one thing was clear. . .their lives have changed, whether for the best or worst, they were about to find out.

As the girls prepared to leave for home, Kylie's voice suddenly shouted. "NO, STOP!"

They turned around. From what it seems, a thief appeared to have snatched Kylie's gold locket from around her neck and now Kylie was running after him to get it back. Dana had already took off after Kylie and so had Sara.

Sara yelled out, "Theo tell our folks we're fine. We'll be right back!"

Then she disappeared behind the corner.

Beth looked after them, stunned for a moment. Then she shrugged and told Theo, Yui and Haruna: "You three do that. I gotta catch up to my sisters!"

"No prob," Theo said. "See you at school!"

So Beth ran off after the other girls, "Wait up!"

--------------

As Beth ran, she realized that they were heading to an old school dorm. Soon she, Dana and Sara caught up to Kylie out of breath. Still they scurried inside. The dorm was old and filled with old furniture; not a sign of life anywhere.

"My locket!" Kylie's voice cried some four feet away from them. It came from what used to be the drawing room. Beth took a few faltering steps inside to just in time to see Kylie pick up her locket from the floor.

Sara and Dana approached also.

"Wanted your locket back, hmm?" Sara asked, raising her eyebrows a bit at Kylie.

Kylie nodded, "This is a very special gift from my Grandfather. I've always had it."

Then, what little sunlight was left started to draw away.

Dana's voice was heard, "Beth, Kylie, it's getting dark . . ."

Sara looked back at the doorway. "Yeah, let's go home."

Beth nodded, until she realized something. It seemed rather strange for a thief to suddenly steal something then lead the victim he had stolen from to somewhere isolated... not to mention dangerous!

"Aaaaaiiigh!!!"

Beth nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the screams. She spun around in time to see the curtains or shutters suddenly close on all the windows, drenching her in darkness. Nevertheless, Beth's eyes adjusted but when they did she almost wished she hadn't, because, through the shadows she saw Sara, Kylie and Dana struggling in the clutches of a monster!

Terrifying on top of that. It must be more than six feet tall. It's claws were long black ones –sharp and menacing. It hissed horribly to revealed rows of huge, lethal teeth. The eyes were an evil yellow color with slit-pupilled eyes and it's ears resembled those of a bat. And it was holding the three girls effortlessly with both arms.

"End of the line ladies!" A disembodied voice – female and harsh wafted over to them.

Where in the world was it coming from? They couldn't see anyone else. But clearly, somebody or something could see them.

"Who are you?" Beth shouted into the darkness angrily, "And what do you want from us?"

Kylie, Sara and Dana stopped struggling for a moment. This was big.

A wicked voice cackled her answer, Beth felt her blood congeal.

"When the Winter solstice of this century came to an end, the Veil's weaving had loosened and that your powers would have awakened. Powers that would reveal themselves as soon as the eight of you got together. All that was needed was for the three sisters to arrive."

"It was you wasn't it?" Sara cried, "You took all those children."

"But why us? What did we do?" Dana wailed.

"You were born!" The voice spat in disgust, "And now I want your powers. ALL OF THEM!"

The three girls held by the monster began to squirm, trying to wrench themselves free. And Beth suddenly stood still, just hearing the beating of her own heart. But most of all she could feel something will her to open up her right fist.

When she did, the Heart of Etherea –glowing brilliantly – resting on her palm.

'That's what it's for,' Beth thought. I think it's I put it to good use.'

Beth moved her hand over to Dana, Sara and Kylie with a sweeping motion. "Water! Heaven! Air!"

As the orb soared through the air, three vibrating, teardrop shaped baubles separated themselves from it. One became soft blue, swirly liquid which weaved it's way around Sara and pulling her from the monster's grasp.

When the blue-turquoise teardrop approached Kylie, she suddenly began to glow white. Clear blue white lights and rainbow-colored sparks surrounded her willowy body, as if wrapping her in a multicolored ribbon.

The same happened to Dana, except the teardrop that danced around her was almost like vapor, a puff of silvery wind accompanied by purple, yellow, orange and green leaves. Her long, flaxen hair became free of it's pink ribbon and began to twist around her freely.

Sara's jade eyes turned sultry and her slightly, ruffled hair smoothed into elegant waves.

Various angelic voices seemed to sing as Kylie reached her arms out. She became bathed in a golden-rose colored light that began by the edges until she was shimmering in white lights.

Beth hugged her knees curling into a ball as something began tugging at her back.

Yes, she was becoming the stunning beauty she'd seen in the antique store's window.

Finally, she burst out of her coiled position and took a fighting stance as did the other three girls.

With that one pouncing motion, Beth embraced her destiny with open arms. She was no longer an simple schoolgirl or a common, ignorant mortal; She was a Guardian of the Veil, Keeper of the Ethereal Heart.

Little do they know that their newfound powers mean that they are now prey to other evil forces as well. . . .

Nevertheless, this was none other than the true story of how it all begins for the Enchanted Ones, and for all that lived on Earth and beyond, this was just the beginning.

And that's the very first story. If you want me to write more of their adventures let me know straight away. Please try to put a little more detail into your review too. Remember any rude or offensive flames WILL be ignored.


	5. School night is Wendigo night

**Ok, now I know it's been a long time since I've updated but work with me, I've been grounded AND on writers block.**

--

It's been quite a while since the girls received their powers yet they're still very new to them. And eventually, the girls reflect on their powers, even the reluctant Zaira; she agreed to stick with the girls as both friends and a team. . . just not to make her do anything embarrassing.

Now this is a story on how Zaira gets a hand on experience with the first monster the girls encounter.

It begins on a dark Autumn night and the young semi-goth was stranded outside in the dark park after running an errand and somehow crashed her bike. Now she's calling for assistance.

"Directory assistance. What district please?

"Yeah, get me the Odaiba. . ."

Behind her as she's talking, something is lurking behind the bushes. Then Zaira's black and purple phone is crackling. "Hello? Hey!" she begins shaking it, "Aw man!"

She fumes then looks around and sees a phone box. "No biggie. If you want something done right….."

Just as she starts walking over it, there came the sound of twigs breaking. She stops and looks around. She continues walking and hears leaves crunching.

This time Zaira frowns.

"Okay," she growled, "If this is some kind of joke- - it's SO NOT—"

She stops shouting when sees a large, hairy creature in the bushes and she runs into the phone box. She starts dialing the phone. The creature starts hitting the phone box and, in spite of herself, Zaira starts screaming. It knocks over the phone booth, Zaira tries to punch it away and it scratches her left arm.

A teenage boy with a flare gun appears and shoots it at the creature. This seems to frighten it and runs back into the bushes. Then the boy rushes over to Zaira.

"Hey, you alright?"

Zaira only looks back at the bushes, unsure of what to make of her current condition.

--

We see the rest of the girls standing with a tall man wearing a judge's robes and dark hair standing in front of reception. Soon, they walk in a room. A doctor is putting a bandage on the semi goth's arm.

"Hey Z!" Beth called

Theo cringed a little at seeing the wound, "Ouch! That's gotta hurt!"

"I'm fine you guys." Zaira told them then she says to the doctor, "Listen, doc, if I need a transfusion, I'm AB negative just so you know."

"Uh-huh, so no stitches?" Yui asked the doctor.

The doctor shook his head, "No. It's not even that deep. Follow up with your doctor in the morning though. Keep it dry, a little aspirin for the pain, you'll be fine." To Judge Baker he says, "She's all set. Just sign this."

While Zaira's father is doing this, the girls all crowd around Zaira.

"I don't get it, why didn't you just zap him?" Theo asked her.

Zaira gave her a dirty look, "First of all, I was trapped in a phone booth. It could've backfired – second, I only found out I have powers _five days ago_, so I was freaking out okay?" She then spots the boy that had the flare gun there. "Oh, wait! There's Bruce."

The teen in question was a Caucasian boy, with black spiky hair, a white a leather jacket, jeans and Nike sneakers.

Bruce looked up, "How you doing?"

"Girls, dad, this is Bruce David." Zaira said, introducing them, "Technically, he saved my hide."

Bruce shrugged humbly, "Yeah, just glad I got there in time."

Judge Baker nodded, "Yes, I'd like to talk to you about that. Along with that flare gun you just happened to show up with."

He should especially since it was his daughter that had been attacked by some wild animal.

"Yeah, about that Judge," Bruce said, rubbing the back of his head, "Look, it's no coincidence. I heard about the murder last night. The creature..."

The word made the Judge frown, "The creature?"

Bruce nodded ."That's right, creature."

"Definitely a creature alright." Zaira said firmly.

A pallid woman with short auburn hair, Agent Craven, walks in. "Describe it. David, what are you doing here?"

Bruce folded his arms. "Same as you, Craven. Hunting that thing."

"Who're you anyway?" Beth asked rather rudely.

The agent held up her 'badge'. "Special Agent Craven of the FBI."

"Okay, you said to describe it?" Zaira looked a bit thoughtful as she tried to recall, "Er, big, hairy, strong. Looked like a cross between a troll and Bigfoot only meaner."

"Yellow eyes?" Craven asked.

"Yep."

"Talon-like hands?"

"Oh yeah."

"Might I talk to you, Judge Baker?" Mr. Baker nods. They walk away from them. "Your daughter is the first AND youngest one to survive an attack. Unlike that poor sucker we found last night with his heart ripped out of his chest."

"Oh good God," the judge sighed, "I'm already sending for the coroner's reports and setting out a team on the alert."

Agent Craven asked, "Why? I think it's pretty obvious this case is out of your jurisdiction. On the bright side, you don't want it."

"Excuse me?" The Judge demanded a little harsher than usual.

"This witness corroborates every other statement. According to their descriptions, the perp's not either animal or human."

Now Judge Baker was looking at her as of she were crazy, "Neither beast or animal you say? Ridiculous."

The teens meanwhile were talking.

"Hey Bruce, how did you know to use a flare gun?" asked Yui.

"That's easy: the thing's afraid of fire." Bruce answered.

"How'd you figure that out?"

"Easy again; See I was out camping near Mt. Fuji and next to my campsite was a senior school couple. It attacked that night. When I heard the screaming I went out to investigate what was going on and I saw the thing all over them. I grabbed a log from the fire and actually it freaked, then bolted. But, um, not before it ripped the girl's heart out and pushed the guy off a cliff. So now basically I'm out hunting it."

--

The next morning, at Kibou Manor the girls were reunited in the rec room, looking through the Book of Secrets.

Kylie walks in, "How is your arm, Zaira?"

"It itches."

"Zaira, shouldn't you go to the doctor?" Haruna inquired, "It could get infected."

Zaira shook her head. "Not so long as I wear the bandage and keep changing it right."

They continue leafing a few pages until finally she and Sara find a page in the Book of Secrets about the creature. It's called a Wendigo.

"Hello." They say in surprise, for they know they have just found out just what they were up against.

--

_1:00 in the afternoon_

That afternoon, the girls meet with Bruce in the school library to explain what they've found.

"It's called a what?" Bruce asked in surprise.

"A Wendigo." explained Sara, holding out some notes she had written down, "According to our research, it looks like a normal person during the day but then it transforms at night and survives by feeding on human hearts. It's very different from the average Wendigo legend in local cultures that's for sure."

Kylie continued the explanation, "You see according to one legend the very first Wendigo was a mortal who betrayed by his lover, he cut out her heart and ate it. As a result, his own heart turned to ice and that's how he became this beast."

"So it basically attacks lovesick people?" Bruce asked raising his eyebrows, "Or... then why did it go after your friend Zaira?" he turned to her, "Are you in love?"

The violet-eyed girl shook her head completely composed. "Not even so much as a crush. Must be something else."

"Maybe pretty girls?"

Zaira, Kylie, Theo, Haruna and Dana give him wry smiles. Beth, Yui and Sara raised their eyebrows.

"Sorry." Bruce dropped his gaze in embarrassment.

"Moving on," Beth continued, "From what we gather, it strikes during the three phases of the full moon. Meaning it'll attack tonight."

Understanding dawned on Bruce's face, "Hey, that's right! You know, I've been tracking this thing since spring break and in one night you're all monster experts."

"Thanks," said Yui, "Unfortunately, this is gonna something really tough to explain to the police so we're all staking out."

"Try Agent Craven. She believed me when it first happened," Bruce added "I'll tell her, okay."

"No prob." replied Dana.

They all start to pick up their jackets and things. Unexpectedly Zaira stumbles a bit and she groans. Bruce catches her, "Hey you alright?"

A concerned Haruna approached and touched her forehead. "You're burning up!" she exclaimed.

"Looks like you're catching a cold," said Dana, looking over Zaira. "You better drink soup, tea and get some sleep."

"Is it that bad?" Zaira moaned.

She looked ill. Beth and Bruce start leading her to the doors. While Theo tried cheering her up.

"No big, Z," she said, "We'll get some stuff then drop by your place later before sundown."

"I'll be at the park with Agent Craven," Bruce added, "We'll meet up there, you just get home and relax."

--

_4:30 in the afternoon, Baker residence_

Zaira was on the couch drinking herbal tea. The doorbell rang, she answers it and sees Agent Craven at the door.

"Sorry, had to make a call. Are you okay?"

Zaira put a hand on the door to steady herself, "No, I feel sick. But you should know this thing- the Wendigo, it looks an average person during the day."

"That's different. Any idea who it might be?"

"Not a darn thing."

"Too bad. How's the arm?"

"Now it's aching."

"Let's hope you didn't get infected by it. If you think of anything, anything at all, call me directly." She hands Zaira her card and leaves. As soon as she closed the door, Zaira then begins shivering. She takes the bandage off her arm and her arm is all hairy which makes her groan in exasperation and despair. "Aww, man."

--

A little later, Agent Craven and Bruce are at the park.

"Must have hidden in that stretch of woods waiting to attack." speculated Agent Craven, "Wanna get a closer look?"

"Definitely."

"Better turn your cell phone off. Wouldn't want it to ring and scare it away." They turn off their phones.

"You know, I was engaged once. He was my world. Totally my world. Then one day, "boom", the empty dresser, the one-word note "sorry". I started falling. I kept falling."

Bruce cringed a bit, "Ouch. Bummer."

"But I took steps. I did what I needed to make myself strong. To make it so no one could ever hurt me like that again."

"Wonder how."

"Maybe I'll show you, if you're lucky, kid. Now my life's a lot less complicated. Now I'm only after the "hedonistic pleasure in relationships" if you catch my drift."

Bruce gave her a weird look. Great, a nymphomaniac was the last thing he needed right now.

--

_6:00 pm, Baker residence_

Zaira's sitting on the armchair sweating and shaking with the girls helping her. So far she's already shown them her hairy arm.

"Think you can get up?" Haruna asked her worriedly.

Zaira's eyes flashed yellow briefly and she suddenly spat, "Back off! What, you think I can't walk now?"

"Zaira, please! Were only trying to help!" Dana cried.

"Help me?" she scoffed, "You can't even make new friends in school!"

This made Dana gasp.

"Oi!" Theo snarled, "Where's the snake that bit you?"

"Oh, save it. Do you always have to be in charge?" Her eyes then glazed over and reverted back to her sick, queasy self, "Ugh, where'd that come from?"

The other girls all exchanged worried looks.

"Chill," Beth said, "We're gonna help you okay?"

"Right." Zaira said, getting up and pulling out Agent Craven's card. Then she has her first premonition: she freezes in place. In her mind's eye, it's a blue-gray hue and she sees clearly Agent Craven turning into a Wendigo.

She drops the card and look at the other, "Girls, the Wendigo-I know who it is! It's Craven!"

There was a pause then they all exclaimed. "_Craven?!_ Bruce!"

"We gotta help him!" Dana cried.

Theo rapidly flips through the book of Secrets, "This book doesn't have any answers!"

Yui meanwhile, is having no success with the cellphone. "He's not answering his cell either."

Beth is banging her head against the wall, "C'mon! Think, think, think, think, think Beth think!" She then brightens, "Wait! It's afraid of fire right? So we have to kill the Wendigo that slashed Zaira by melting its heart of ice. We use fire, it doesn't necessarily have to be a flare gun."

Theo catches one, "Oh yeah! I could just conjure up some flames and throw 'em, it's perfect!"

"Although we might have to detain Zaira here."

Zaira's violet eyes suddenly darkened again. "Not if I have something to say about it!" she yelled

"Any chains?" An irritated Beth asked Kylie. These ominous mood swings were really starting to get on her nerves!

"Will some rope work?" Yui asked pulling out some old rope from a chest.

Zaira's eyes reverted again. "Guys, I'm back, and do me a favor and MURDER Ricki Craven for me!"

"Will do!" Yui jokingly saluted her as one would to a sea captain.

Luckily, Sara learned how to tie knots when she and her family had gone camping once so she and Theo tied it good and tight around Zaira's arms.

"That'll hold her until we get back." Theo said, shaking the dust off her hands.

Zaira's eyes flashed again. "Drop dead!"

"Zaira. . ." Theo scolded.

"For me go jump in a lake!"

"_Z . . .!"_ Theo gritted her teeth and her hazel-brown eyes blazed dangerously

"Lay off!"

"ALRIGHT THAT'S IT-!" Theo flared up and lunged for Zaira's throat, but the other girls quickly separated the two and shoved Theo towards the door.

--

_7:30 pm, the park_

It's night time and Bruce is still with Agent Craven. While he wasn't looking Ricki's hand turn into a Wendigo hand.

"Instinct of the hunt. That's why you're here."

Finally, Bruce spun around to face her "What are you playing at?"

Abruptly the FBI Agent turns into a Wendigo. Bruce yelps and tries to shoot at her. She hits him across the head, knocking him out.

The Wendigo rips open Bruce's shirt and cuts him down the chest with its fingernail. It stops when it hears the girls' voices calling Bruce.

"Bruce!"

"Where are you?"

The Wendigo growls and starts running towards them. Dana (already transformed like the other six) spots it first.

"Theo!" cried Dana pointing

Theo's hands flare up, she shoots and misses it. It scares the Wendigo and it runs away.

"If that didn't get Bruce to come out, he's dead." said Beth

"Only if we find a body." Answered Haruna.

The Wendigo runs towards them again. They see Bruce on the ground. They run over to him.

Kylie looked him over, "He's alright but she slashed him."

"He still has his heart?" asked Sara.

"Uh-huh, we got here just in time." Yui replied.

The Wendigo growls and appears behind them. They turn around and Theo throws a fire ball to scare it. Much to their horror, they see not one but two!

"Aargh!" Theo yelled. "There's two of them."

"Oh-oh, that means one of them's Zaira."

"Just shoot and pray you hit the right one." Beth urged.

Theo throws one fireball and the Wendigo to the right shoots electricity.

"That's Zaira." Theo says simply and she moves the fireball easily in one quick swipe. It hits the other Wendigo in the heart. It burns and disappears.

Zaira changes back but she's completely bare. When she notices thjis she yelps and tries to cover herself. Luckily, Haruna takes off her coat and puts it around her.

Back with Bruce his wound heals. And he starts waking up. . . and he sees the girls in guardian form. Uh-oh. . .

"You see Bruce, we're-" Beth stammered as did the other girls.

Bruce smiled warmly shaking his head, "Save it, I knew it all along."

Zaira blinked in surprise, "Wait, you have?"

"Wasn't that hard." Bruce replied, as he got up, "As soon as you told me about the Wendigo I knew something was up. That and I had a feeling that something was happening with Zaira and her small injury. But believe me, I've seen too many cartoons to know that you guys had some unbelievable secret, you know?"

"So..." Kylie began tentatively.

Bruce put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly, "Yes, your secret's safe with me. But I expect something in return."

All eight girls exchanged worried glances. But it will result in something else.

"What is it?" Sara questioned.

Bruce smiled, "Mind if I help out with you guys?"

This took all the girls by surprise.

"Oh!" Beth exclaimed, "Er…"

"Come on, girls! Think_ really_…How many guys do you know would actually _want_ to get involved into something supernatural without framing you to the press? Besides you could really use someone on the outside to cover for you if something comes up during school time."

The last part got the girls thinking. Beth looked to the other seven; Zaira, Haruna and Yui shrugged yet the rest nodded eagerly; some help from someone friendly can really help them right about now.

So Beth turned back to Bruce and shook his hand, "Bruce David, welcome aboard."

--

**AN: Alright there you go everyone. In the next chapter, Beth starts receiving frightening, anonymous messages. Worst yet, strange murders start occurring on the outskirts of her street district. . . and the perpetrator is someone Beth testified against as a child, someone with bestial urges during the full moon. . .and wants revenge.**

**Wanna know more R & R!**


	6. Moonstruck

**AN: Alright everyone here's the next chappie. And really people, you gotta tell what you wanna see next too; I need more ideas.**

A car pulls over in the middle of the woods, an angry seventeen year old girl leaves the car and the boyfriend yells "You don't like it, then forget you!" He shuts the door and drives off.

Later he's on the highway, nothing suspicious is happening but then he sees something on the road running past him, he quickly hits the breaks, gets out to see if he actually hit anything but nothing.

Shrugging it off, he was about to go back to his car but then suddenly he hears a noise. He takes out his cell phone but since he's out of range, he can't get a signal, unknown to him, a mysterious figure is creeping on him, he turns around to go back to his car but too late, the mysterious thing roars and attacks him.

* * *

Early the next morning, there are police cars by the edge of the woods. By the road, Bruce David rides up on his bike, then seeing, the crowd, he gets off and approaches a nearby officer.

"Hey, what's going on?" Bruce asked him.

The policeman looked at him grimly, "Some high schooler's body was found by the edge of the woods. Looks like an animal attack."

Bruce blinked in surprise. "I thought bears lived up in Hokkaido; plus they only attack if they're either territorial, feel threatened or are protecting cubs."

"Well, whatever it was it nailed this poor sucker pretty bad." The policeman answered him.

Then some two men are seen zipping up the corpse and Bruce catches a glimpse of what appears to be claw marks.

In Kibou Manor, the cheery maid Gerty comes in with the mail and hands in to the Pantheon family in the dining room.

"Anything new?" Dr. Pantheon asked.

Kylie leafed through hers. "Just letters from my penpals, how about you Beth?"

Beth opens a letter directed to her. Except it's only five words: "I'M GOING TO GET YOU", scrawled in thick red ink. As expected from a girl with her feisty spirit, she gets mad and crumples it.

Her concerned mother picks it up and reads it, this leaves the family and the servants horrified.

Despite her angry outlook at the threat, Beth felt an ominous feeling fall over her. Icy terror flow through body from head to the very tip of her toes.

In school, an unnerved Beth sends the girls to check around to see who might be after her.

Finally Theo walked up to her, "Um, I checked around. The populars are spreading nasty rumors, and planning to humiliate you publicly, other than that nobody's actually trying to do you in."

Then suddenly, a malicious Asian girl with long black hair, wearing black and purple clothing, black nylon stockings and black shoes and a purple french hat dropped her tomato soup on Beth's shirt by "accident" even though it was intentionally. Next, a horde of wannabes start laughing at her; even though Beth couldn't care less at the moment.

Later, when she goes into the bathroom, she hears some preppy girls talking about her behind her back.

"Who does she think she's fooling?"

"But why would she lie about it?"

"He-llo! She's doing it for attention, duh!"

Okay now that's drawing the line for Beth. She stands up straight angrily.

Beth punches the gossip across her face, giving the girl a major nosebleed. And of course in rage, Beth wrestles with the girl. Until the English teacher Ms. Honey splits them up. "That's enough!"

Beth just growls angrily and storms off.

And the girl asks "So what's her problem?"

Ms. Honey was tapping her foot impatiently at the gossipy girl.

"My guess- -bullying. Which is just the third little incident this week involving you. Come with me young lady." She said taking the girl by the arm.

That afternoon, in Kibou Manor, during a study session, Kurt, silver haired, green eyed, goofy and carefree, receives the mail from the Pantheon's silent but loyal butler.

* * *

Out of curiosity, he reads one then suddenly panics. "Oh my god!"

This causes everyone in the bedroom to come rushing over.

"Someone's trying to kill me!" Then he reads closer, "Oh wait, sorry it's for Beth."

Beth groans in exasperation as she sees "DIE BETH DIE", again in red ink.

Soon the friends are all gathered around the threatening letters Beth has received for the past two days along with the newspaper reports about the recent murders.

A perplexed Beth gingerly picks up one of the letters, "But who'd want to hurt me? I'm this century's Supergirl."

Bruce looks at the letters carefully. "Just to be sure, you better put together a grudge list of any enemies you have past or present."

Kylie reaches into her skirt pocket and hands a piece of paper over to Bruce, "Here it is."

Bruce takes it and starts reading of the list: "Let's see...Scorpina, Venom, Carnage, Uglinator, Lord Zedd, Divatox, Omnito, Super ninja, Naskal, Petrafina Dagmar... Geez, did you run afoul of the Legion of doom or something?"

Beth smiled grimly, "You're only half-right, it's the various evil forces that we've faced in the last two weeks."

Nevertheless, Bruce continues reading.

"Not exactly what I had in mind but not bad - - Amos Slade? Tonga?" He continues reading until one name catches him off guard, "_Ricki Austen, the singer?_"

"Who?" Yui frowned, not recognizing the names.

Kylie looked at him earnestly, "Well, we're completely against poaching! And I've already have 600 signatures on my petition to shut down her cruel animal torture ground for good!"

"Yeah," Theo said sternly, "Besides, everybody knows Austen's a spoiled hag who gets jealous over any grown up that gets too emotionally attached to her kids- - she even threatened that cop that tried to help her daughter: TWICE!"

Bruce frowned in agreement. A possessive mother like that needs serious medical help. "For real." Then he noticed something else on the list that caught his eyes, "_F.O.W.L.?_ What's that stand for?"

"Fiendish Organization for World Larceny." explained Sara.

Theo nodded, "Yeah, some guy contacted B's dad about it; he said some genuine witchhunters tipped them off about the whole family tree."

"I'm going to guess someone has a grudge against all of you in general, right?"

"Looks like it." Dana replied.

"Hades?" Bruce raised an eyebrow at them, what did the god of the underworld have against the guardians?

The eight girls looked sheepish.

"Er…" Beth said nervously, "You see, the lord of the dead's not happy that we save so many lives as a job. . .we're like basically stealing his subjects."

"Okay then…" Bruce continued reading, "And Freddy Krueger? You met this guy too?"

Kylie looked away a little embarrassedly, "It's a long story, actually I'd rather not talk about him."

"Why not?"

Kylie leans forward and whispers in Bruce's ear. His eyes grow wide and he answers. "Oh. You're right, I'd rather not hear that story."

Bruce finished leafing through the list. "Well, I'm gonna do some poking around these murders because from I've seen they can't be some average animal attack. Nope, if I didn't know better I'd say these were done by something else…"

"What do you suppose it is?" Haruna asked him.

Bruce shrugged, "Y'know an evil spirit, a vampire…or a werewolf."

_Werewolf._ The word sent chills down Beth's spine.

* * *

That night, Beth is in her bed pondering, who would try to get her. The radio was playing at low volume and playing the song "Things out there."

_You're all alone _

_and it's the middle of the night,_

_Something moves in the cold moonlight_

_You're trying not to scream_

_But you gottta let it out!_

As she shifted into sleep dreadful memories flooded through her mind.

A furry claw was reaching out violently trying to grab her. She was backing further and further into a little cave for protection. Her clothes were torn and covered in tiny wet specks. She had to get away!

_And it makes you wanna_

_You wanna, you wanna shout!_

_There's things out there_

_Sneaking up behind you_

_Things out there_

_That'll chill you to the bone_

_Those things out there_

_You know they're gonna find you_

_No matter where you go  
You know there's things out there_

Beth then awakes to the radio cheerily announcing to her horror: "All right, this is dedicated to SaraBeth Pantheon, with the message, "I am coming to kill you slowly AND very painfully."

She walks into the kitchen to grab a bite where the Russian cook, Mrs. Standford says darkly, brandishing scissors, "Beth, I am going to _get _you..."

Beth gasps.

However the cook then says brightly, " ...Turkish delight! Since I'm saving so much money on borsch!" she elaborates by holding up a coupon.

_There's things out there_

_Sneaking up behind you_

_Things out there_

_Don't go out alone!_

_Those things out there_

_Those things out there_

_You know they're gonna find you_

_No matter where you go  
You know there's things out there…._

_Things out there!_

In school, the teacher says darkly "You're going to be my murder victim, Beth..."

Beth gasped then the teacher spoke casually "...in our school production of Sweeney Todd starring Ryan Taylor."

A boy dressed up as the spooky barber motions cutting with plastic blades cheerily. "See how they glisten.  
See this one shine, Beth!"

Meanwhile, her sisters have been thinking.

"Beth!" Kylie suddenly said to her, "I think I know! Think back, who wishes revenge against you for putting them away into Azkaban?"

Beth frowned for a moment, looking thoughtful.

"A warlock maybe? Or a death eater?" she wondered until she froze. She looked at Kylie in alarm, "You don't think..?

The color drained from Kylie's face. As calmly as she could she said, "I'll see to it that daddy and Bruce check into it."

Beth thinks more on her ordeal. "You're out there somewhere," she whispers, but demands, "Where?"

* * *

The Pantheon family's fears weren't wrong, now General Pantheon and Bruce were about to find out what.

Azkaban is a prison located in the middle of the North sea, wizards, witches and many magical creatures that violate the magical law are sent here. The large presence of Dementors sucks out the any thought of joy or hope from the inmates and forces them to relive their most terrible memories, as they become gradually helpless and often severely insane.

Now, General Omri Pantheon has to journey there in hopes that his and his wife's worst fears were wrong. He and a guard survey the jail cells eventually they reach an empty one.

"Not to sound inquisitive, but," questioned the general, "But who's cell was that?"

The guard looked and cringed slightly then turned to General Pantheon. "Oh, a some crazy werewolf lady there you would believe it…. One night, she was being taken back to her cell but, from what I'm told she used her chains to strangle the guards and when we went to check her cell we found their corpses had claw marks on them like some wild animal had attacked.. And I think her was….Mara? Martha? No, Marsha! Marsha Quist!"

General Pantheon blanched. Beth is terrible danger.

* * *

It's already been three whole weeks of threatening notes and the entire Pantheon family is tense.

One day though Beth received one note that's only one letter each and they all spell out the words: **WATCH OUT**

The red-headed tomboy crumples up the letter and goes to her bedroom; if she was about to be murdered, she was sure she wasn't going down without a fight.

Day turned to night in the outside garden of Kibou Manor, and Beth waited patiently. In her mind's eyes, she remembers something. A memory, that as a result, had given her Iycanphobia….

_She was only a young child aged five. She'd disobeyed her family's rules about wandering into the foreboding black forest in curiosity and a hint of pride. _

_Beth had fun exploring even after it got dark, she wasn't frightened as a mortal child should be because she'd gone into the woods hundreds of times at night with her family. Then an unearthly howl shatters the night, it sends shivers down the little girl's spine. When she pushed aside the bushes she saw how a woman changed into a scary, furry monster._

_The metamorphosis from man into beast is not a pretty sight. Bone and muscle bend and reform themselves. The teeth elongates forming fangs. The whole face distorts as the jaw extends, skull literally changing shape before our eyes. _

_And before Beth's terrified eyes- -the werewolf kills a man, tearing at his throat._

Beth shuddered and slowly begins to recall the day of the trial.

_They were inside what appeared to be an underground dungeon but from the large groups of people sitting on benches it was a hearing. She was sitting on a chair looking round at all the grown-ups staring at her, waiting to hear what she has to say._

_Beth took a deep breath and spoke as loud as she could. "It was her! She did it!" she cried pointing an accusing finger at Marsha Quist, who looked affronted._

_Beth continued, "She killed that man in the woods I saw her turn into a werewolf and kill him! I did!"_

_There was a loud uproar as Marsha angrily lunged for Beth's throat but the guards all jumped on her in the nick of time._

_The lead judge looked at the female werewolf disgustedly and says to the guards, "Seize this despicable creature and lock her up for good!"_

_As she was being dragged off, Marsha shoots Beth an evil glare and growl "I'll get you for this you little two-faced brat!"_

Just then the lunging beast brings Beth down in one fell swoop. Beth screams, struggles and blindly aims punches at the beast that's bent on devouring her.

_BLAM!_

An ear-shattering gunshot rang out and Beth was able to roughly push the heavy body off her. Out of the shadows, Kylie and the girls rushed over to her asking if she was alright.

Beth looked to her left and saw a grim Bruce walking up with an elephant gun full of silver bullets, closely followed by Magical ministry officials from Magix.

Now Beth looks to her right and sees, instead of a wolf, the glassy-eyed corpse of Marsha Quist laying on the ground.

(AN: In case you're wondering why she or the girls didn't use their powers, it was because a) Beth was still too scared to react and b) they're not so strong untransformed.)

Half an hour later, the Japanese Ministry of Magic was still trying to do some cover-ups. We see the Guardians sitting on one of the benches talking about the events of the day and how they figured it out.

"We knew it had to be Marsha Quist after realizing she was the escaped convict from Azkaban." Bruce was explaining, "I explained to Kurt about four times without success- -the guy's about as bright as both Homer Simpson and Ron Stoppable; no offense to anyone. So I explained things to the girls and the ministry and we got here just in time."

He cocks the gun.

"I _knew_ those silver bullets would come in handy." said Theo.

Beth grinned weakly, "Glad you used them."

Then Kurt spoke up, "Hey I just remembered they owe us 2,000 yens for wolf-lady over there dead or alive."

"Hey, that's right! Neither of us got killed!" Theo agreed in realization.

Everyone laughed a little upon understanding also.

Zaira and Beth, however, looked a little outraged.

"What?"

"EXCUUUSE ME?"

The two girls folded their arms sourly; they almost got themselves killed and now they're thinking of collecting money?

"Eh heh-heh, sorry bout that B," Theo said, "But at least your safe and in one piece, besides the danger's part of the job and we can use this money for a good cause anyway."

Beth's scowl lessened in amusement. "I dunno… Theo,"

"Come on! Think of this as your second big chance!"

**AN: Well there you go until next time when my muse hits. Hopefully soon as I'm starting classes again next Monday.**


	7. The Dark witches

**AN: Here's my next chapter took me long enough but I'm determined to finish this fic.**** Up next you'll see the description of two characters aside from the chappie itself.**

Lonnie Stevens: Olive-skinned, curly brown hair, poisonous blue eyes.

Lisa Romero: Rectangular glasses, dark green eyes. Her hair color is orange with a pink streak.

-----------------------------------------------

At Crosswinds jr. high, a school assembly was about to take place.

The seven friends were all talking to Lisa Romero, a girl Beth had befriended. She like Bruce became aware of their magical activities and doesn't mind one bit. Tony, Sra's brother, was sitting next to Bruce, who was in front of them wearing the school uniform so no one would suspect.

Sadly right behind them is the "Snob Squad". And they were intent on giving the girls a hard time.

"Looks like somebody didn't give them the dress code memo." Lonnie Stevens quipped making her followers snicker.

Zaira, Theo, Beth, Haruna and Lisa glared. Yui, Sara, Kylie, Bruce shook their heads boredly.

"Sounds like someone's IQ hard drive just crashed." Bruce commented.

Theo frowned sourly, "So what's _her_ problem?"

Zaira sighed and began to explain, "Before the Pantheon family moved to Odaiba, she was the center of attention and the closest thing to a celebrity but now that the Beth and her sisters are here…"

"She's violently jealous." finished Sara.

"Exactly."

Then the teacher made the announcement."Boys and girls, I'd like you to welcome two new students who have just transferred to our school…"

Lonnie filed her nails, uninterested. "Probably some more brainy geeks."

"…. I hope you'll all make them feel welcome."

Her opinion changes in an instant, however, when she sees the transfer student Kai Silverbell. Short Platinum hair, dark grey eyes, clear glasses but quite attractive.

"What a cutie. . ."

Beth seems to think so too, thought in a different way. 'He is kinda cute…' but then she shakes her head and slaps herself. 'Snap out of it! You already got a guy!'

Lisa noticed Beth's reaction and asked the girls, "Is she having an inner romantic conflict or is it just me?"

"That's right." Sara responded calmly, "But this is something she has to figure out on her own without our interference until she asks for it."

"So NO spying or crazy schemes to bring them together." Zaira added. "That includes you, Theo!"

Theo shrugged and leaned back in her seat, "Can't blame a 'Best female friend' for trying."

-------

Later on, Beth is at a vending machine when she is approached by one of the new students, Kai.

"May I have a word with word you?"

"Sure I guess." Beth replied. The way this new student spoke to her was the same way her fiancé used to.

She followed him a secluded corner where no one would hear them.

"Beth, there is something you must know…" Kai began softly, "I am the one you had to leave behind. And you we're given something you were meant to carry for quite some time now."

"Whoa, rewind! How can you even know all that?"

"It's time you learned who I am."

He removes his glasses and his image fades to a beloved familiar face. The Supreme kai, now known as Kibitoshin for his fusion with his bodyguard. To prove his point even further he pulls something out from his coat: potara earrings.

And Beth can't believe her own eyes or contain her excitement.

"What are you doing here?" She gasped. "Is it really you?"

"It is me." He replied, "I've decided to try and visit you more often, which would include courting you properly."

"That's wonderful!" Beth smiled, "Oh but you got keep a low profile, wouldn't want any mortals or others hearing that the supreme kai is here."

"Of course I will."

Meanwhile, Lonnie, who passing, hears them. She tries to cross over, but ends up trapped in the midst of students leaving classes when the bell goes off.

"Ah! Beth, hang on to that guy for me, will ya?!" she hollered.

Beth and Kai turn around and see her and visibly look panicked.

"Run for it!" Beth said frantically, pushing him towards the exit, "Before she sees your true form!"

Kai was stunned but conceded to Beth's advice and disappeared in the sea of students.

Beth would've followed, but Lonnie, having just arrived, grabs her arm and stops her.

"WHY'D YOU LET HIM GO, PANTHEON?!" The plastic yelled, "I NEARLY GOT TRAMPLED OVER!"

Beth glared at her, "Will you just let go of my arm?!"

Lonnie lets go and yells down the hall. "Hey Kai, my name's Lonnie."

This prompts Beth jaw to drop and make her glower at Lonnie, "What are you trying to pull? Silverbell's my guy!"

"Oh, I don't think so." Lonnie said giving her that cocky, irritating smirk, "He's up for grabs. I'll make him mine forever by piercing his heart with my love arrow. He won't be able to resist me."

"Over my dead body!" Beth growled.

----------------------------

That very night, Beth, Theo and Lisa are gossiping on the phone.

"Puh-leeze!" said Lisa on the phone to Beth, "He'll never fall for a two-faced peacock like Lonnie!"

Theo chimed in, "Yeah, you already told us he's a one girl guy! So he has eyes only for you!

At a close up we see Lisa is not at home, but in a park, wearing black burglarish clothes. She was trying to pull a prank on one of Lonnie's cronies who insulted her and the girls earlier that day.

Lisa suddenly spots something out of the corner of her eye, "Oh! Girls drop whatever you two are doing and come one down to the park in Shibaura!"

On the other lines the other two girls grinned. They already knew what Lisa was planning.

"Be there soon," Theo commented.

Little did they know was that their plans for the night was about to go awry.

------------------------

On Lisa's side, she grins and prepares her prank, "This is gonna be good!"

However, entering her line of vision was neither one of the Plastics but a random couple. Much to her disappointment. But it didn't last long for something pops up and attacks the couple.

It looked like a huge green goblin with burning red eyes. It had a clawed left hand but it's left was shaped like a sickle.

"Augh!" Lisa gasped, "What is that!"

The thing grabs the couple and slowly started draining their energy then it drops the couple, making Lisa yelp and hide inside a kiosk (don't ask how).

"Lisa, what's going on?" Beth's voice asked

"There's something out there!" She yelped, shivering.

Carefully she peeks through the cracks between the panels and the monster—known as a boggle pops up.

"Your energy's mine!"

Lisa yelped backing up and screams….

-----------

On both separate lines, Lisa's screams are heard.

"Lisa!" Beth cried from her side.

Theo determinedly called in from hers, "We're coming girl!"

They both run off-screen.

----------

Lisa is seen screaming in side her hiding place as the boggle starts breaking down the panels.

"Aargh!" Lisa yelled into the cell, "Now it's in - - GUGH!"

She was cut off for the boggle had grabbed her by the neck.

Luckily Beth and Theo arrived just in the nick of time.

"Get it off me!" Lisa yelled, having broken free of the monster's grip and was now trying in to push it away with little success

Thinking fast, Theo slam-dunked a bucket over the boggle's head to keep it busy.

Immediately the three girls run to wards the middle of the park.

"That oughta keep him quiet," Theo commented

Lisa panted for breath, "OK he ruined my prank. That creep is gonna pay!"

"Uh, girls," Beth said to them, "Maybe it was just me but that thing sure had the characteristics of a youma…or a boggle."

She recalled about it, because she had been doing some light reading though the Book of Secrets as Kylie had suggested.

"Come one Beth," Theo looked to her childhood friend, "Sure, we're bound to have a few run ins with the usual hocus pocus monsters of lore and what not. But there's no youmas in our town."

As soon as she finished, the boggle cut threw the underbrush

"Not according to him!" Lisa cried.

The friends took cover. "We got to warn the girls!" called Theo.

Beth barely dodged the monster's sickle. "No time! It's just you and me, T!"

To prove her point, she closed her eyes and focused. Within seconds the Ethereal Heart emerged, a glowing crystal orb encased inside the silvery figures of a lion's head (to the left) and a blossoming rose (to the right).

In a flash of pink and orange, Beth and Theo were both in their Guardian garb. Beth wore a fuchsia gi with teal pants and belt in memory of her past. Theo wore a strapless fuchsia top and teal skirt both short flexible.

Theo yelled"The fun's over, greenie!"

The boggle turns away from Lisa and tries to snare the fairies, but they jump out of the way. Time after time, the thing misses it's target. Until it snares Beth's ankle.

"Beth!" Lisa and Theo both yelled.

It begins to drain Beth's vital energy. The red-head tomboy struggles viciously to get loose but it only tightened it's grip and she was getting weaker by the minute.

"Hang in there Beth!"

Theo charges, jumps and placing her hands onto the boggle's arm. When she does her hands started to glow an angry orange and the beast shrieks, releasing Beth.

"Now let's take it out together!"

Both girls raise their hands and shoot beams of magical power which incinerate the boggle completely.

Lisa runs to her friends, ruffling their hair and hugging them, "You two maniacs! You almost gave me a heart attack, I--"

Before she could even finish her rant, a derisive voice spoke out

"Guardians."

All three girls glance up and see a hologram of a woman and three young girls in long indigo cloaks.

"We never imagined there'd be someone like you defending our section of the Earth's Veil.

"What?!" Theo snapped.

Lisa gave them a weird look, "_Egg-squeeze_ me? YOUR section?"

"You heard me. It's our realm now and I suggest you get used to it"

Beth didn't so much blink an eye. "You're the ones who sent that goblin, am I right? "

The cloaked woman shrugged mockingly, "Just our way of getting acquainted. Be sure that you'll be seeing more of us sooner than you think."

And they vanished.

The three girls just continued staring at the spot in mute shock for a few seconds.

"Guess this is an even bigger quest than the we thought," Theo mused.

"They said there'd be more of them, wonder just how MANY?" Lisa emphasized.

"We can take em," Beth said stubbornly, "We always can. Whoever they are, I'll make sure they're taken down."

**AN: Ooh, looks like the girls have so far met the 'Big cheese' themselves**** and looks like Beth has got a rival in love. Might take a while before I update again, I'll be thinking up good chapters for the adventures. R & R!**


	8. Dance away

**AN: Yeah possibly not so creative in this one but I really wanted to expand my Magix Quest arc a little more****. For extras I'll put in little stories a lá W.I.T.C.H.'s '**_**The year before**_**' for each of the girls.**

In the park, Beth is sitting in a stone bench with the book of Secrets open in front of her; looking for any good spells or charms to help them confront their new foe.

Then she hears music. One playing Andrew Lloyd Webber's '_All I ask of you'_ from the Phantom of the Opera.

Curious, she sees Kylie under a small garden arc - - and she was playing the violin.

"That music…"

Kylie is startled "Beth! I- I didn't think you were here I-"

"Hey sis, chill." Beth calmed her, "I like it. Why the sudden interest in the violin?"

The tall pale blonde shrugged, "Chi-chi wanted me to try something more cultural. So I picked playing an instrument: the violin. It's alright with me the lessons aren't so bad and at least the music I'm practicing is nice."

Beth smiled grimly, "Yeah, wouldn't put it past Chi-chi to make one of us do something else besides training." She then said to her sister, "Listen, why don't we head over to the ice cream parlor to grab a bite then head home she bites our heads of about not studying at home?"

"I suppose."

Some time later they're walking up the street, Kylie holding her violin case and Beth the Book of Secrets. Then they suddenly stop right seeing an ambulance right in front of the arcade. Then, paramedics carry a few unconscious teenagers off to the ambulance in a stretcher.

And Kylie recognizes a few of them. "Beth, it's Lisa! And Torrance!"

Beth exclaimed in surprise, "And Finn!"

The two girls approached the crowd among them was Theo, who was watching the scene apprehensively.

"T, what happened?"

"We were just playing game when they just suddenly passed right out that's what." Theo explained, "Maybe they got that sleeping sickness."

Kylie blinked. "That's peculiar, I've never heard of some healthy teenagers suddenly passing out in the arcade lest it be other motives."

Beth looked thoughtful, "No, but maybe they stayed up too late down in the new rave joint? Weren't you there Theo?"

"Now that you mention it, I'm feeling kind of beat myself. It went on past midnight."

"Wait," Beth suddenly spoke up, "I believe a similar case was with that midnight radio show where they read your love letter and sent you a flower brooch or something like that?"

"But that was in Azabu Juban, we're in Odaiba." Kylie reminded her. "Yet, could this and the other incident be connected?"

Now what neither girl knew was that in the so-called rave they and most of their schoolmates have been slowly drained a portion of the dancing victims' vital energy to invigorate the malevolent force behind the diabolical operation.

"Morons, they're too easy to fool."

A figure in a dark red cloak gathers the energy, which collapses itself into a ball.

"Dance all you want, soon this whole world will fall under our reign."

* * *

That night, Kylie is on the phone with Sara and Yui about what they've just found out.

Sara flips through the guide and notices something.

"Hey, this is pretty new, right? It just started a few weeks ago, so why isn't it not mentioned in the entertainment or nightlife section?"

From her line Yui says, "They don't need publicity. It's the super-hottest new spot!"

* * *

Sadly that next morning, the students would soon see the consequences of frequenting shady strange places that spell out evil.

Yui and Beth notice the schoolmate they're talking to starting to nod off.

"Hey, are you alright?"

The girl then falls completely asleep. The girls grow concerned. A student waves her hand in front of her face.

Yui tries to shake her awake. "Hey! Come on wake up!"

When she touches the girl, her energy is slowly drained, sending her to the floor.

"Yui!"

Half an hour later, Yui wakes abruptly… in the clinic.

"Yui, thank goodness you're alright! We were all so worried." Haruna added earnestly.

"Nice to see you coming around." Zaira said to her.

Yui grabs her head, "Oh, what happened?"

She and the other girls look at Lisa in the next bed.

Theo then speaks up, "I'm willing to bet it has to do with those weirdoes we saw in the park a week ago- I think it's connected to this new dance spot."

"Then I think we got a party to crash." Beth said determinedly.

"Right!" The girls cried.

* * *

Later that night, the girls were dressed up in their best dancing clothes to get in.

"Everybody here?"

"Yep!" Dana's voice chirped excitedly.

Beth and Kylie were about to turn around and scold the youngest of the guardians when their mouths dropped.

"Dana? How'd you manage_ that_?"

Dana had somehow taken on her guardian shape. Contrary to her original form: a nine year old girl – this shape made her look like she was fifteen years old.

"I just wished for it really hard and poof!" She twirled for emphasis. "Besides you all need me to check this out too!"

Beth protested a little but gave in. "Fine! But _stay close_ to us, no telling what we'll run into!"

As they walked in a shadowed figure yelled at some bouncers, "Those are the last ones, lock that up good and tight behind 'em!"

"Wait, lock the doors?" Zaira almost yelled.

But Sara quickly elbowed her, while Theo said loudly "Yeah! Who wants to leave this place? This is off the roof!"

The girls immediately moved towards the dance floor so they wouldn't look suspicious. They waited for a good twenty-five minutes but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, some red smoke into the crowd, and everyone except the girls fall into a trance.

"What's going on?"

"I feel…tired."

"I'm gettin' sleepy."

"Are you all having as much fun as I am, folks?" a female voice laughed.

A figure in a dark red cloak had removed her hood. It was a pallid girl about their age with neck length black hair and dark blue eyes.

One by one, the dancing kids drop unconscious.

Then she sees that the eight girls are still standing. Since they hadn't really danced that much, the smoke didn't affect them.

"I know this girl!" Sara yelled out.

"Why aren't you affected?" the girl asked arrogantly.

Beth answered, "That's not important. You release these people from your spell right now!"

"That's not gonna happen any time soon. GRAB THEM!"

The bouncers from the health club go after them.

"I think it's show time girls!" Dana quipped.

The girls all scatter into different hiding places while Beth activates the Heart of Etherea to transform. Now they come out in their guardian shapes ready for action.

One throws a boombox weight at Haruna, which she dodges. The others, however, surround Sara.

Sara then sees a fire extinguisher looks at her opponents then she grins and 'casually' flicks her hand. The fire extinguisher blows out it's contents onto the bouncers pushing them back.

Beth and Theo fight back like amazons. Beth punches one in his gut while Theo kicks one in the face.

Another throws a chair at Kylie, but he misses and hits the drain machine's core, destroying it and releasing the energy in a blinding flash.

When this happens everyone else who's had their energy drained, reawaken. Except for the dancers who were sleeping soundly.

The girls use their collective powers to knock out their opponents then turn to face their foe that's still onstage.

"OK, now you!" Beth said to her forcefully.

"Yeah!"

Zaira added, "Who are you? And what're you doing here?"

The pallid girl scoffed, "You're addressing me? At least you should learn my name: it's Amanda Oliver."

"Amanda Oliver?"

"That's right and you'll regret you've ever met me or my coven! Back off or you'll be sorry!"

She vanishes.

"Regret meeting her? She's a little late for that." Yui commented.

Sara then says, "It never hurts to be on guard. We know one enemy now all we're missing are the rest."

They've just had their first confrontation with a rogue dark witch, an adversary that they'll fighting against for some quite time even as they begin new adventures.

**AN:OK that's that for now everyone, now I'm going to take a leaf out of Julayla's book and do some side stories of my own ok? ****So keep your eyes peeled.**


	9. Just say: All work n no fun pt 1

**AN: OK now I'm splitting this one in half everyone, there might be much action but there will be mystery. This is a sidestory parodying an episode from Eerie Indiana 'Just say no fun' ring a bell? No? Well just enjoy the chappie then.**

Even with the confrontation of their first dark witch, the girls weren't let one ominous incident get them down.

To be sure, their eyes are wide open but that didn't stop them from having the occasional fun every now and then – such as following Theo's lead by testing out little pranks to play on the bullies both rough jocks and popular girls alike.

Say what you like about it being a sure way of asking for trouble, but in this lifetime – trouble is the one that goes looking you no matter what you are.

In Kibou Manor one fine morning, we see Beth, Kylie, Dana and Theo in the dining hall. Then Dana fills a bowl with lots of corn flakes while Beth and Theo are rigging the chair at the end of the table with something.

Drake the butler, Gerty the maid and the other servants were in the kitchen with the Standfords, they seem to know what the girls were up to but from their knowing grins, they rather not say or do anything about it.

"Someone's coming!" Kylie told them

"Places!" Theo whispered.

Sure enough, General Omri Pantheon walks into the dining room holding some blue prints which he sets on the chair next to him.

The Pantheon girl's father might be middle-aged but he had a lean, muscular build thanks to many years of training. He had wheat-colored hair, mustache and beard; bright emerald green eyes like his youngest daughter.

The girls quickly try not to look suspicious as he walked to the seat.

"Good morning girls." He greets off-handedly before sitting down.

However, as he sat down, it activated the little prank. Instantly a small plastic monster head popped out of the cereal bowl surprising the man.

The girls burst out laughing.

Omri chuckled. "Yes, thank you for the surprise attack girls."

"You're welcome daddy," Beth Kylie and Dana chorused.

Then there was the sound of a door opening.

"I hear mom!" Dana suddenly said.

"Oh, let's get her!"

Sure enough, Dr. Jenna Pantheon walked in next into the dining hall. She was a tall handsome middle-aged woman with shoulder length coppery hair and the same bright sapphire blue eyes as her daughter Beth.

The girls and the general conspicuously hid their faces with the cereal boxes and the newspaper.

Dr. Pantheon stared at them. "Alright, what is it?"

She sat down.

At once, the prank activated. This time it was a monster's claw jumping out of the cereal bowl making her shriek.

Now the girls and their father started laughing.

Dr. Pantheon gave them a wry smirk. "Oh now really. Girls, Omri…"

Theo got up and replaced the prank.

"Come on mom, you've got to admit it was actually pretty good." Beth said to her mother.

"Now, I'm not saying having a sense of humor is bad…"

Unfortunately Vegeta walks into the dining room next, muttering good morning.

Immediately everyone starts telling him 'No!' frantically.

Too late. He sits down, and something pops out giving the Saiyan prince a shock.

_Pow! _

By instinctive reaction, he shoots a ki blast and the gang's singed from head to toe but alive other than that.

A soot covered Theo blows out a puff of smoke. "We tried to tell you."

Vegeta gave them a patronizing glare, "Well you ought to remember next time to never catch an elite by surprise."

"Still gotta love this stuff." grinned Dana, wiping the stuff from her eyes.

* * *

The older guardians decided to gather up their stuff before Vegeta could scold them any further or launch a counter attack.

Now Crosswinds junior high might have it's average students, the usual mean girls, bullies, cliques and what not. But that wasn't going stop either one of the guardians from fighting back in their own way.

"Take gum that'll make you sweat?" Theo offered as they walked to the school doors.

Zaira shook her head, "Pranked hot gum? Not even going there."

"Don't look at us." Kylie and Sara shrugged.

"Been there, done that." Bruce remarked.

"What do we look like suckers of the universe?" Tony, Sara's twin brother, asked them taking the box and inspecting it.

Tony looked almost nothing like his sister. Their eyes shape and bangs were similar but an entirely different color. His hair was light brown and he had light blue eyes.

Then he got an idea, "What's say we put it to the test with the nastier side of girl world you all have to contend with?"

The girls all exchanged sneaky grins. Even the usually cynical Zaira shared their mischievous expressions.

Beth smiled, "Touché. Lisa, who do we got?"

Lisa Romero, one of the guardians' friends, looked around the hallway. "No sign of the Populars."

"Where's a good victim when you need one?" Tony asked rhetorically.

A rough hand suddenly grabbed the package from Tony's hand.

"Thanks, wuss." The bully Fulcher Scott has just grabbed the pranked hot gum from Tony's hand!

The eleven friends exchanged worried glances. _Uh-oh._

"Uh - Fulcher, I don't think you're gonna like that!" Yui called out.

"It's not good for you!" added a worried Lisa.

"Oh yeah?"

Tony looked worried.

"If he kills me, you can have my stuff…" he said Bruce and Kurt.

Right on cue, the bully's face went red with heat and anger as the hot peppery taste of the pranked gum sets in. He spat the gum on the gum, which was literally smoking.

Then he stomped over to the gang naming out four. "Romero, David, Kasuga, Goodman. You punks are dead."

"Alright!" a strong adult hand gabbed Scott and Bruce by the shoulders. "You brats know the rules: no fighting!"

Luckily or unluckily, Mr. Hinomoto one of the more nastier teachers had just spotted them.

"He did it!" Tony pointed quickly to Fulcher.

"Irrelevant!"

"Aw great, here comes detention!" Bruce muttered.

"I think it's time the three of you had your eyes checked."

The friends all looked at each other in confusion, "Huh?"

Beth frowned "What does he mean having your eyes checked?"

Lisa rolled her eyes, "In case he hasn't noticed, I'm already wearing glasses!"

"Romero, unless you prefer detention for life - I suggest you march!"

"Later guys – I hope." Bruce waved apprehensively to their friends.

* * *

Since they arrived, the guardians and their friends each had seen their share of mystery and strangeness, but until one has their eyes checked by a shady new nurse on recommendation by Pankely and two of Tokyo's most corrupted teachers, it's nothing.

Having your eyes checked should be a painless little process, right? Well that's what the now four detained youngsters had thought too.

Now, they're feeling even more nervous upon hearing the sounds coming from the other side of the side while waiting for their turn with the nurse.

"Doesn't sound like any eye exam I've been to." grumbled Lisa suspiciously.

Yui shivered, "I'll say. Sounds more like a police suspect interrogation."

Then it's over. And out steps Fulcher Scott now wearing ridiculous looking black glasses.

"Here he comes." Lisa muttered.

Bruce replied, "Chill, he can't get us while we're in school."

But the bully just smiled emotionlessly and said: "Lisa, Bruce, Yui, Tony, I apologize for fighting with you. I'm sorry I misbehaved."

Then he gave one last spooky smile and walked out the door.

Now the friends were really weirded out. One of the bullies had threatened to pound their lights out one second, the next he acts like a walking mechanical doll?

"Is it just me or did he just talk like a strictly composed dweeb?" Yui questioned.

"Tony. Tony Goodman. Your turn to see Nurse Junko." said a female reedy voice.

It belonged to a mousy looking woman in a nurses outfit. She had short muddy brown hair and wore homely-looking spectacles.

Nurse Junko had just begun to work in Crosswinds, half the teachers either didn't mind or tolerated her. With the exception of the ones that loved to give round the clock homework or denigrate students they felt were beneath them.

Yui and Bruce knew that they second they saw her, they knew something was very, very wrong.

"Come with me, Tony, this won't take long." said the nurse.

Tony must've shared their concern because he mumbled: "Nice knowing you guys."

"Hope you make it out alive and in one piece." whispered Yui.

Tony worriedly walked over.

"Don't worry you three you'll just have to kindly wait your turn. "

And she closed the door behind her.

The window blinds were still open so the three were to get a good look at Tony walking in and sitting down in the chair.

Tony looked to them thought this didn't appear to sit well with Nurse Junko who scowled furiously and closed the shades.

Bruce, Lisa and Yui scowled themselves. What was that for?

"This is why I believe the school system sucks eggs." Bruce glowered.

They look ahead to see three other kids all wearing the same ugly glasses, who smile dopily back. Lisa rolls her eyes, Yui cringes, Bruce grins sheepishly.

Then about ten minutes later, Tony stepped out. Or so it looked like him.

"Tony?" questioned Yui.

"Hey Tony, you okay, man?" Bruce asked him

"I'm fine, Bruce." He said emotionlessly, "I feel a lot better."

"You don't look….fine to me." Yui commented.

"Yeah, what's with the dorky-looking glasses?" Lisa demanded, "I mean, even mine look better compared to them"

"I can see now… It's all so clear."

However, something was not right. It wasn't the same Tony Goodman, Sara's twin brother. No, no. Almost as if there was something missing.

Tony then said, "I must go. I must go study. I must improve my test scores."

Bruce, Yui and Lisa stared at each other in shocked silence for a few seconds.

"That does it, I'm outta here!" Lisa snapped throwing up her hands.

"We're right behind you."

"Mr. David!"

The three gasped.

Nurse Junko walked out, "It's your turn… Mr. David?"

However, neither of the three teens were there.

"You're next." she said to bored young boy and beckoning him into the office.

Lisa hadn't managed to leave just yet, she was hiding behind the door. She let out a sigh of relief at not being caught.

Then from the other door, her friend motioned for her to run.

* * *

Unfortunately not much later that day somehow during 4th period Yui had been summoned to the nurse station (against her will, they could hear her protesting all the way) and the gang didn't see either one of them until later that afternoon. Ever since that eye test it was like they were unable to have fun, they'd lost two important things: Their sense of humor and their imagination.

"What's with them lately?" Theo griped.

"Dunno, but did you see?" Beth commented, "Half the school is already wearing those crummy glasses."

Theo look ahead then elbowed Beth, "Oh, boyfriend-stealer alert!"

Kai and Lonnie were just a few feet in front of them.

"Lonnie. She just never gives up!" Beth frowned.

"You wanna go to that big laser disco after school? It'll be so cool."

Kai was politely refusing, "No I think not…I'm not really…"

Suddenly, Beth slides in between them.

"Break it up! Citizen's arrest!"

"Ahh! Salvation!" Kai said upon seeing Beth. "I apologize Lonette but Beth and I are already together. If you excuse me."

He and Beth walked into the arcade/soda parlor to Lonnie's annoyance, then Theo walks in after them.

"Silverbell's my girl Beth's guy. So don't waste your breath, he's not into you." She grinned with a mocking gesture at the popular girl.

As soon as she walked in, Lonnie growled, "Oh this isn't over not by a long shot."

Once inside they approached the others and spot Tony and Yui walk in.

Theo called over, "Yo Tony, Yui, where you two been?"

Not so much as a spark flickered in what the two fun-loving teenagers had left.

"Do you think they have any metric conversion tables?" Yui questioned emotionlessly.

Sara put a friendly hand on her fraternal twin's shoulder, "C'mon little bro, don't you wanna play Hex breaker? It's your favorite game."

"Sara, I don't have a favorite game."

The girl looked surprised and she whispered to Kylie.

"You're right, he is behaving weirdly."

Just then the store owner approached. "Metric conversion tables right?"

Yui and Tony nodded.

"Aisle three right next to the crossbows."

The two teenagers walked away and the store keeper says to the gang: "Meh, that's the eleventh zombie today."

"What?"

"Notice how silent it is?"

It was almost no one else was playing the video games or looking at the other merchandise, no chatter or gossip, nothing.

"Well, I'm sure there's a harmless explanation for all this." Haruna said, trying to sound reassuring.

But then they see one person replacing a perfectly nice looking flower in a vase with some strange graphs.

They all stare

Haruna said unnerved, "On the other hand, maybe not."

Zaira nodded, "Yeah, I might be skeptical of some things, but even I know this doesn't look good."

I don't mean to sound like a jerk but this is jus plain pathetic." Beth commented, "They all look the same, act the same and don't want to do anything fun."

"Yeah," Dana commented, "They're so BORING!"

Store owner - "You kids wanna have fun?"

Beth and her friends all nodded.

The next thing they knew, the store owner opened what looked like a really old safe.

"Stand back."

The doot opened and steam came out. Inside was a pair of perfectly done and almost brand-new looking Groucho Marx gag glasses.

"Is that it?" Lisa questioned.

"Aren't they a beaut? Legend has they were molded from the base of the master himself."

"Really think they'll work?"

The store keeper looked over their shoulder, "Better hurry up, because they're both already leaving."

Zaira shrugged. "Worth a shot."

They all race out side and corner their brainwashed friends.

**Beth: ****_My friends, I'm so confused _**_**  
**_**_I tell joke you're not amused _**_**  
**_**_Given a choice I know you'll choose _**_**  
**_**_The sound of laughter_****  
**

She slid down some stairs railing. Then they show some youngsters having a tickle fight.

**Bruce: ****_All the creatures in the world_**_**  
**_**_bit by bit they all agree _**_**  
**_**_'Tis no sweeter harmony _**_**  
**_**_Than the sound of laughter_**

**Together: ****_Cuz the giggle and chuckle and ha-ha-ha _**_**  
**_**_Only make the fun come faster _**_**  
**_**_Cuz the giggle and chuckle and ha-ha-ha _**_**  
**_**_Tis a phrase any teenage or kid can muster _**_**  
**_**_That's the sound of laughter _**

Then Kurt falls into a trashcan and pretends to be stuck running around in it and bumping into things.

He then gets out. "Know what we mean? Laugh?"

"C'mon! Snicker! Bust a gut or something!" urged Lisa impatiently.

Yui and Tony remained unfazed.

"Maybe we should try harder." Suggested Dana

"Listen to this then." Bruce motioned.

Bruce: **_Like the pounding ocean beat _**_**  
**_**_It's the common tongue we speak _**_**  
**_**_'Tis the rhythm that makes life complete _**_**  
**_**_The sound of laughter_****  
**

He points to some young kids in the park until some mean kids scare them away. The hide in some bramble bushes then scare the bullies away with some scary masks. When they run off, the kids laugh uncontrollably.

Theo: **_Stop the quiet undue peace _**_**  
**_**_This serious stuff shall now cease _**_**  
**_

Beth: **_With the wonderful release _**_**  
**_**_Of the sound of laughter_**All: **_Cuz the giggle and chuckle and ha-ha-ha _**_**  
**_**_Only makes the fun come faster _**_**  
**_**_Cuz the giggle and chuckle and ha-ha-ha _**_**  
**_**_Tis a phrase any teenage or kid can muster _**_**  
**_**_Oh, the sound of laughter_****_Cuz the giggle and chuckle and ha-ha-ha _**_**  
**_**_Only make the fun come faster _**_**  
**_**_Yeah, the giggle and chuckle and ha-ha-ha _**_**  
**_**_Tis a phrase any teenage or kid can muster _**_**  
**_**_That's the sound of laughter_**

Beth: **_Once it's found you_**

Theo: **_It surrounds you!_**

Bruce: **_Fix the flow all around you_**

All: **_The sound of laughter!_**

To add for a finishing touch Bruce puts on the Marx glasses finally making their friends laugh.

All: **_Yeah, that's the sound of laughter!_**

Tony and Yui were safe but evil never rests. They had work to do.

Later they're seen examining the spectacles.

Sara explained. "These just look like ordinary window glass."

"Do you remember anything when you got in?" Bruce asked them.

"I remember getting in the chair and she closed the blinds."

* * *

_We see Tony looking apprehensive in the chair while Nurse Junko simpered as she pored over what looked like a control panel._

_"Now Mr. Goodman, just relax…"_

_Almost all the lights went out except for the ones in the machine and the eye chart._

_"The process is entirely painless but you must remember to keep your eyes on the chart. Now read the first line on the first chart, the first and second lines of the second chart, all of the third chart…See how easy it is?"_

_The charts were already strange instead of the usual stuff they read dumb things such as: Be polite, do not ask, floss daily,_

_Suddenly the charts through Tony's point of view started to spin out of control and the nurse's face appeared speaking._

_"Children can be very disruptive, don't you agree? Sometimes they just need a little help to remind them to behave…"_

_The lens in the eye machine span and flicked around._

_"Now repeat after me all work and no fun, makes Tony a good boy."_

* * *

"All work and no fun, makes Tony a good boy."

"Aha! I knew it!" exclaimed Lisa, "Brainwash!"

Bruce looked pensive. "And she's doing it to everyone, turning them into anti-fun zombies."

"We're not zombies…" Yui and Tony said softly in monotone voices.

The gang glowered. They've relapsed.

Sara rolled her eyes, snatched the glasses from Bruce put them on and at the same time smacked her brother upside the head. "Snap out it!"

"But how come they didn't ask for Sara and half the others yet?" questioned Dana.

"Honor roll maybe or they're still-" Beth then finger quotes derisively "haven't fixed an appointment. The joke glasses break the trance, but we gotta do something before the whole school is zombified."

"And I'm going back in to take my test," Bruce said determinedly

"What?"

"No way!"

"Chance we gotta take besides they'll take us in either separately or together. But we'll need proof, only way to videotape her hypnotizing me." Bruce explained, "Plus, I won't be alone on this you're going with me. "

"Be careful, they feed off on the serious negativity stuff like no fun and only work, politeness or whatever stupid things they ask for." Warned Theo.

Right on cue, now the Pantheons and their friends were being targeted. The school called at Kibou manor saying the Pantheon girls have been very disruptive which the nurse believes it may be an eye problem and have fixed a schedule with a few other students tomorrow.

Now Beth, Kylie and Dana's parents didn't really believe it but still what harm could one little eye test do?

The girls agreed, but with different motives.

Unfortunately, danger was never a stranger not even in the human world.

At the time bureau, the phone rang.

"Kids could you get that?" Dr. Goodman's voice called from the lab.

With Sara taking a shower, Tony answered it. "Hello?"

"Tony," said Nurse Junko's voice, "All work and no play…"

"Makes Tony a good boy." Tony finished monotonely.

**_To be continued_**


	10. Just say: All work and no fun pt 2

**AN: And here we have the second part, everyone.**** Still gotta think up creatively the next chapter too so don't rush me, OK?**

The very next morning, the appointed families arrived at Crosswinds junior high each one talking to their respective children except for Bruce.

Judge Baker was saying to Zaira, "Honestly, I'd thought you'd be past getting into school fights, next you skip an eye examination?"

"Now really, it's only an eye examination what's the worse that could've happened?" Dr. Pantheon asked Beth.

Mrs. Schaffer asked Theo randomly, "Honey, is it me or do you notice everyone wearing the same glasses?"

Even now the friends couldn't help but notice it too. Now it looked like half the school had the same dull, boring spectacles.

They walked into the nurses office where they're greeted by both Nurse Junko and Mr. Hinomoto.

"You must be the parents of the missed out students," Nurse Junko said to them.

Judge Baker nodded curtly, "A pleasure Miss…"

"Just Junko."

"Oh like Cher?" asked Mrs. Schaffer

Nurse Junko said stressfully, "Not quite."

Mr. Hinomoto explained, "Nurse Junko is developing a master plan to expand free vision care to Jyuuban and eventually all of Tokyo citizens, you too. "

"How interesting…" Mrs. Schaffer said, trying to be polite.

Judge Baker turned to his daughter, "Wouldn't be that an accomplishment?"

"Oh yes, great." Zaira said dully.

Nurse Junko looked at the youngsters, "Girls, Bruce, there's nothing to worry about. And since your parents were all so kind to visit I'll put you next."

Theo shrugged aimlessly, "Fine by me."

Nurse Junko grinned. "Say bye-bye now."

Beth shrugged, "Take care now, Bye-bye then."

The others all say good-bye to their leaving parents.

"Mr. David, Misses Schaffer, Baker and S. Pantheon follow me. K. Pantheon, Goodman, Romero and Kisaragi, you all wait here."

The kids followed quietly though paused when they spotted Tony.

"Tony, are we glad to see you!" Bruce exclaimed softly.

Beth added, "Got the camera and the glasses right here. It's up to us, we gotta save the rest of the school."

"Children!"

Theo motioned with her head, "C'mon let's go. Better not leave the wicked witch of the East waiting."

Beth nodded, "Wish us luck."

They all waked in with Tony and sat down on separate chairs while Nurse Junko motioned to Theo.

"Why don't you take a seat Miss Schaffer?"

"Yeah."

Nurse Junko said to them, "Just relax all of you, that's one of my little rules and things go so much easier so long as people follow the rules."

"The ones that are ok, but those I find dumb they mean little to me."

"Well, Mr. David, I've worked with children all my life I think of myself as an expert."

Beth scoffed nastily, "Yeah, right."

"Big whoop. I'm so excited." Zaira said sarcastically, rolling her violet eyes.

"And well you may not believe this, but I've seen your type before."

"Oh really? Confident? Street-smart, maybe?" Theo asked cockily.

"I've had my eye on you and your young friends Miss Schaffer," Nurse Junko said rather edgily, "You're all very interesting. You have a lot of imagination and a queer sense of courage."

Bruce smirked. "We'll take that as a compliment."

"Well in this day and age, we don't want courage and imagination!" the older woman suddenly snapped.

Beth glared back with angry defiance, "Wanna bet? Maybe you've got something against seeing kids happy using it? Or having fun?"

Nurse Junko- "Fun is poison. It frees the mind and makes it wander, who knows where it will take you? Who knows what difficult questions you'll start asking?"

"What now you're against curiosity too?" Bruce asked with a scowl.

"You madame, are positively primeval." Theo said mockingly.

"I've corrected the vision of many children in my lifetime. And you four are prize catches."

"I'll bet."

The lights are turned off.

Nurse Junko continued, "I'm sorry to say this may hurt but pain can be so instructive. Now relax and look at the chart I want you think about how it feels to make nurse Junko happy. You know I'm not really as bad as you think. Some people even picture me as a good role model…. Saving children from their own nasty habits. Why some day you might thank me."

Bruce hissed to Tony: "Tony, catch!"

He throws bag at him. But the entranced boy walks over and hands the bag to Nurse Junko.

"Ahh, thank you, Tony." Nurse Junko smiled.

Tony said montonely. "You're welcome nurse Junko."

Zaira hissed furiously, "Tony what do think you're doing?"

Nurse Junko said calmly, "Tony knows how to behave miss Baker. He told me about your little scheme and your dangerous after school activities too."

Beth- "You know if I wasn't so sweet and nice I'd have beaten you to a pulp this very minute if that stupid binding potion still wasn't in full effect!"

The nurse didn't appear to be listening, she sets goofy glasses on one side as if they were something revolting.

Bruce quickly puts them on, Tony sees and laughs, snapping out of it

However at the same time he remembers where he is and what's going on, "Oh-oh!"

"We can't have any of that!" she pressed some buttons.

Bruce, Zaira, Theo and Beth jumped out of their seats

The youngsters start running.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

Zaira turned back once and snapped, "To the actual authorities!"

Just as they open the door, they hear Yui's fearful voice: "Oh, gang…?"

They all see more hypnotized people staring down at them with creepy smiles.

Hypnotized teacher- "Something wrong? "

Kylie shook her head, "No we're fine thank you. I do believe it's already our turn, excuse us!"

They all backed up inside the office with Nurse Junko waiting for them.

"I don't know why you're all making such a fuss, my world is orderly and peaceful." As she talks, her true form is revealed: a boggle!

Lisa pointed triumphantly at the monster "Ha! I told you!" then she turned to Zaira, "Pay up!"

Zaira shook her head and tossed some yens into Lisa's outstretched hand.

"A world that's dry and has no life, I like mine full of life and adventure! And I believe it's show time!" Beth glowered pulling out the Heart of Etherea.

In multicolored flashes of light, the girls were all changed into their guardian form. Bruce stood by preparing for anything.

"I'm still not used to this." Zaira commented.

"Nor I." Kylie added, "Though only because of the clothes."

"You shouldn't have misbehaved, things would've been much easier."

The monster sends report cards flying at Sara and Haruna, and they have more than failing marks on them.

They also have razor edges! The others dodge those and the second salvo of cards the monster fires.

Some suddenly pin Beth, Theo and Kylie to the wall.

More cards fly at them, but the boggle stops them and offers her a chance to surrender.

"I'm giving you two choices: one, you surrender now, or two, you surrender later."

The girls' answers were naturally honest.

"No way!"

"Over my dead body!"

"Never!"

Soon, they're trapped by the hypnotized students.

"Where's Dana when we actually need her!" Zaira snapped as she dodged more cards.

"They don't let kids out of elementary school during school hours unsupervised no matter what, that's why!" yelled Theo.

And as if right on cue from the camera's part, we see Dana stuck in the middle of class unable to escape with the teacher standing by the door as they watched a slide show of the ecosystem.

"I told you rules should be followed -

"Think again! " Bruce swung a heavy bag at the boggle.

At the same time of the strike the hypnotized people abruptly fell into place literally.

"Let's finish this! Together! "

All seven guardians aimed, sending forth a blaze of multicolored power towards the boggle and it's soon reduced to dust!

Freed from the boggle's control, the students soon wake up.

They're coming around! Lisa commented.

"And you're in plain sight!" Bruce elbowed Beth.

"Oh!" Beth remembered they can't let people see them like this. "Girls!"

The guardians all pulled the shades and changed back to their original shapes.

Later that afternoon, the gang's walking down the street on their way to eat hamburgers.

"Say, Z I thought you said you didn't want to do anything embarrassing. What changed your mind?" Theo said mischievously.

Zaira smiled a genuine smile, "I didn't do it because I'm a guardian or something or other…I can't really explain, but...I wanted to fight alongside you all."

"That's what friends are for!"

"Glad to hear it."

Peace and having calm life is okay but every once in while you've got to live dangerously too.

**AN: ****There you have it, don't forget to vote on my new poll.**


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